Every Time We Touch
by SessInSunglasses
Summary: Inuyasha and Kagome are finally getting it together, but wait, Kikyou shows up? Kouga's come to profess his love once again, and what's this about Sesshoumaru nosing his way in? Will Naraku wind up pushing up daisies?
1. Chapter 1

Hey people, I'm back! Sorry this took so long, but I was having a little writer's block, and then I got busy with my cousin's wedding, and getting a phone...sigh, so much happening, but I'm liking where this is going, so humour me, will ya?

Disclaimer: I already told you, get off my back, I'm making no money, just enjoy the story, for Christ's sake! Gawd!

**Every Time We Touch**

Kagome climbed out of the Well, and dragged her big yellow pack with her, grunting as she tried to heft it up onto her back. She turned on her Discman and cranked up the volume as she made her way to the village, looking for her friends.

She bobbed her head to the beat and snapped her fingers, and even sang a few bars out loud as Inuyasha followed her, right on her heels, all the way to Kaede's. He smiled at her back; she was such a weirdo sometimes, though her music was…interesting, to say the least.

He'd heard some of it when he went to her era, but hadn't really paid any attention to it, that is, until Kagome had decided to share her Discman and her music with Sango, who quickly grew attached, and the two were constantly sharing the "earphones" wherever they went, as long as they weren't battling.

As Kagome sang out loud, she was thinking about the gift she had for Sango in her bag; she was going to be so surprised! The bag bulged extra wide today, as she'd brought almost her entire collection of music from home. She grunted between bars as she shifted the giant bag to her other shoulder.

Kagome changed the song, and then she started dancing down the stairs to Kaede's hut, and Inuyasha watched with much amusement as she went up, then down, then up again in time to the music. He'd noticed her attachment to it lately, and something in the back of his mind wondered if she was becoming tired of him; he didn't share her interests, well, not many anyway.

He was a more practical kind of guy; he liked to be killing something, or rather, someone (namely Naraku, that bastard), whenever he got the chance. Kagome, though…she was different. He thought of the differences between her and Kikyou; how Kikyou was always sad and lonely, but Kagome, even though she may be lonely, was almost always smiling. He felt so much happier with her now than he had then with Kikyou. He wondered if he loved her. He felt something for her, he could tell that much. Exactly what though, he couldn't be sure.

With Kikyou it had been easy; she'd been the first one to give two shits about him, and he'd quickly returned the sentiment, not wanting her attention to end. She was always prim and proper, but she had been so…so…dull.

He blinked. Kagome executed a complicated step at the bottom of the stairs, and happened to look up and see him standing there. She waved and gave him a huge grin, then yelled, "Did you see all that?"

He nodded, chuckling. She smiled wider, and did another move that made him do a double take, it was so…provocative. She licked her finger slowly and pointed at him, then laughed and dashed away, the strains of her music fading with her.

Kagome flipped the reed door-flap aside and smiled at everyone inside. Kaede smiled in return, and nodded her head. She could hear the music, and knew better than to say anything when Kagome so obviously could not hear her.

Miroku nodded, and offered a little wave. She smacked him happily on the shoulder as she passed, and Shippo crawled up her leg to perch at her shoulder, and she ran her hand fondly through the fox-child's hair, smiling at him. Only Sango was missing.

"Where's Sango?" she yelled, turning off the music.

Miroku blinked his eyes, and responded, "She stepped out to bathe. She asked us to send you over when you came back."

"Great! Thanks!" she once again left, carting Shippo with her.

Inuyasha watched her leave, then followed, wondering where she was going now. He raised an eyebrow as Shippo asked her something he didn't quite catch; she responded by laughing and stuffing an earphone in his ear, turning the volume down, then watching with delight as he too began bobbing his head to the beat while they made their way to the hot spring.

They saw Hiraikotsu propped up against a tree before they saw Sango. She was nose-deep in the steamy water, and had her eyes closed, but Kagome and Shippo knew better than to surprise her; she could nail an enemy at one hundred paces in less than five seconds with that boomerang, and it did no good to scare her or catch her unawares.

"Sango!" Kagome called, and was happy to hear, "Kagome, is that you?"

Bursting through the shrubbery, Kagome threw her arms wide and said, "The one and only! And don't forget the lovable and adorable Shippo!" she lightly chucked his little chin and he blushed.  
She began to strip, as did Shippo, who was out of his clothes in about two seconds before doing a belly flop that barely splashed Sango's hair.

She smiled indulgently at his behaviour; she missed the times when she herself had been able to be carefree, to worry about nothing…but those times were gone. _Still,_ she reminded herself as she watched the bushes for spies as Kagome jumped in, _they could all relax and have fun once in a while._ Naraku was a bastard, but he wasn't so stupid as to constantly attack them; he preferred to think up elaborate schemes before jumping in and trying to massacre everyone, something which she was grudgingly thankful for, in a way. It gave them lots of breaks in which to unwind.

Kagome flapped her hands at Sango to regain her attention. "What is it, Kagome?"

"Guess what I brought for you!" Kagome squealed, and Sango laughed at her excitement. Kagome really was a true friend, someone who never hesitated to put others' needs before her own, or in this case, give gifts for no reason at all.

"I don't know, what did you bring me?" she asked, playing along.

Kagome grinned and said, "You're no fun, you know that? I can't stand the suspense anymore!" and she lunged for her bag, and digging inside, came up with a silver Discman and a pair of earbuds, still in the package.

Sango looked at her. _She didn't…_

"Kagome," she said, looking at her friend sternly, "What did you go and do?"  
Kagome smiled. "Nothing that you don't deserve. My mom bought this for me for graduating, and since my old one still works great, I thought you should have it."

She unwrapped it and handed it to Sango.

Sango was speechless. She derived a great deal of pleasure from listening with Kagome to her music; she'd even begun to teach her how to dance like the girls in Kagome's era.

"Thank you," she said, and Kagome reached over and hugged her shoulders. "You are more than welcome, Sango. You know, I have three best friends back in my time, but none of them compare to the best friends I have in this time. You and the others…you've all been there for me, and I wanted to give everyone a little something in return for saving my ass so many times in the past," she confessed, and Sango thought this was a very mature thing for Kagome to do.

She put her gift on the grass behind her and said, "I can't wait to use it. Do you mind if I borrow your CD's?"

"You take whatever you want," Kagome said, and Sango smiled. "Thanks, again, Kagome."

"No problem, Sango. It was my pleasure. That reminds me…" she dove back into the pack, and came up with a white plastic bag.

"Shippo, this is for you." She and Sango watched with motherly indulgence as the kit opened up the bag, his eyes bulging with the amount of candy he found inside.

He flew at Kagome's neck and hugged her, crying, "Thank you, Kagome! I love you!"

She and Sango laughed, and Kagome played with Shippo's ponytail as he sat in her lap and perused the contents of the bag. There were Tootsie Rolls, suckers, sugar-coated gummies, big feet, hot lips, Swedish Berries, chocolate balls wrapped in foil, several large chocolate bars, and a roll of Bottle Caps. Under all that were candy necklaces, bracelets, and rings; lastly, Shippo pulled out a giant box of orange Tic Tacs, his favourite candy of all. He popped the box open and ate half of it right there.

"Slow down, Shippo," Kagome admonished, "you don't want to get sick. And it'll last longer if you spread it out."

He nodded, and closed the bag, stashing it next to his clothes before returning to bask in Kagome's lap.

Inuyasha, having followed Kagome, listened to this conversation from a nearby tree branch. He stayed out of sight; if either girl sensed him, he was done for, doomed to be teased for being a pervert like the monk. He chuckled; as randy as that dumb monk was, he had the right idea.

Inuyasha often found it impossible to stop himself from spying, if only to eavesdrop. He wondered what it was about men being drawn to naked women…

But, he had bigger fish to fry. _Kagome had said she'd brought something for everyone_. What had she brought for him, he wondered? As soon as he thought this, he began to wonder what he could give her in return. He thought of Kikyou.

He hadn't seen her in a while. The last time they'd met up, she hadn't tried to kill him, but she wasn't helping him and the others, either. He wondered just what it was that she had up her sleeve that made her so confident she could kill Naraku, while the rest of them were just chumps wasting their time. No, Kikyou was not who she used to be. The soft-spoken woman was no longer there; she resided in Kagome now, or at least her soul did. He smiled softly as he pictured Kagome in his mind, licking her finger and pointing to him.

He heard a rustle and froze as the girls and the kitsune passed beneath him, Shippo flashing him a grin and waving, but unable to speak around the giant lollipop in his mouth. Inuyasha went unnoticed as the girls walked away, back to the village.

He realised he'd been so lost in thought that he hadn't even heard them get dressed and prepare to leave the spring. He shook his head._ Keep thinking like that and you'll be wrinkly before your time, old man_, he berated himself as he waited a few moments, then followed the girls back to town.

Sango held the flap back for everyone entering the hut, coming in last herself. Kagome dumped her bag in the corner and took a seat, relieved to be out from under the big yellow burden. She rubbed her sore back.

"You know, if that bag gets any heavier, I'm going to have to hire a wagon to haul it around for me."

Miroku grinned as he glanced at her before stirring the soup in the pot hanging over the fire. Kaede had given him this one task, and he was trying valiantly not to botch it up, to impress Sango with his skills.

Sango flopped down and lay on a bedroll, tired but happy as she took out her new Discman and pressed Play. She mouthed the words to a song she loved as Kagome smiled happily, glad her friend liked her gift.

Which made the next recipient of her gratitude Miroku, the lecherous monk. Leaning over and once again delving into the bottomlessness of her bag, she withdrew a brightly wrapped present, covered with curly ribbon and everything.

Sango watched with interest as Kagome passed the somewhat large gift over the fire to Miroku, moving the pot aside so that the soup wouldn't burn while he wasn't paying attention.  
Miroku accepted the gift, then looked back at her, and she urged, "Open it."

He removed the ribbon and carefully tore away the paper. What he saw inside made him smile. A lot.

It was flat, and not very thick, but he couldn't have been more pleased than if she had given him Sango to marry. The calendar, covered in women - in various states of dress - were enough to make the monk drool. Kagome and Sango laughed at his reaction.

"Oh, Miroku, I know I'm going to regret it, but I couldn't think of anything better than that to get for you. Since you've always been there for me, and always managed to make me feel better with the right words when I'm down, not to mention saving me on countless occasions, I bought you that calendar as a way to thank you for your thoughtfulness."

Miroku got up and pulled Kagome to her feet, then, he kneeled before her and wrapped his arms around her waist, in a deep hug. Kagome blushed, embarrassed as he said, "No, Lady Kagome, it is I who should be thanking you. I will cherish this gift for as long as I live!"

"I'm sure you will," Sango muttered as she leaned over to look at what was on the front of the calendar, only to be repulsed by the sight she saw there. _What had Kagome been thinking?_

Kagome, meanwhile, was pushing him away gently, saying, "Now, Miroku, just do me one favour."

He nodded. "Anything."

"Don't hang that thing where Sango and I can see it! It was embarrassing enough buying it, I don't want to see it ever again!"

He laughed, and agreed to her terms. He had already thought of a good place to keep it. Picking it up, he went and sat in the corner, tearing off the plastic and removing the cardboard to peruse the pictures more…thoroughly.

Shippo, leaning on a snoozing Kirara, said. "What a pervert. This is _so_ not going to curb that idiot's impulses."

Kagome and Sango gasped. "Shippo!"

Sango hissed, "Don't encourage him, he's lecherous enough as it is!"

Shippo grinned. "Hey, everyone was thinkin' it, I'm just sayin' it." He shrugged, and both girls had to admit, as young and impressionable as Shippo was, he was right this time.

"Oh well," Kagome sighed, "hopefully he'll stop bugging people to bear his children now."  
Sango snorted. "Don't count on it," was all she said before she turned her music back on, and she and Kagome watched the soup until it was done.

Inuyasha slept on the roof that night. He'd entered the hut for supper, expecting to be presented with his gift, but was disappointed as Kagome had chosen that time to give Kaede her gift, which turned out to be a thick book on plants and things to make from them. Kaede had loved it and hugged Kagome warmly, and everyone in the hut had been moved by the heartfelt way the two women regarded each other, like a grandmother would regard her granddaughter. Kagome had never known her grandmother, so Kaede was a perfect stand-in.

Kaede had never married, so she had neither children nor grandchildren, only the company of the village children until Kagome had wandered into her life. Kaede was suddenly more grateful for the girl than she had ever been before. Kagome really was special, she thought, watching silently as Sango and the boys congregated around her. She'd noticed that wherever Kagome went, happiness and laughter seemed to follow. And her spiritual powers…Kaede knew that Kikyou had been powerful, but that had only come after many years of gruelling training and self-discipline on Kikyou's part.

Kagome, however, emanated a raw power that hinted at invincibility. She needed training, that much was obvious, but she had so much going on in her life, Kaede couldn't bear to force her to take all the time out it would require to train her properly, so she took every opportunity she could when she could catch Kagome at a moment when she wasn't busy, or away hunting shards. It wasn't much, but she was improving; Kaede was amazed at how quickly she picked up her lessons in such short time.

Of course, Kagome would confer with any priestesses she met on the road, and would learn all she could from them as her group of friends passed through the villages, looking for signs of Naraku. So, she wasn't falling down on the job when it came to accumulating her priestess powers. She just tended to neglect exercising them as often as she should.

Inuyasha snorted as he listened to Kagome tell ghost stories. When it had been just him and her, in the beginning, she'd told him ghost stories that had secretly made his skin crawl, though he never let her know that. He'd already heard the one she was telling now, about the babysitter and the killer, what she referred to as 'Urban Legends', whatever those were.

Nonetheless, he enjoyed listening to her as she skilfully built up the suspense until he could imagine everyone keyed up, nervous, and scared. Before long she would get to the part about the killer being in the next room, and he predicted with eerie precision the second Shippo would scream and hide behind Sango.

Everyone laughed after that, but he'd heard Miroku's sharp gasp and Sango's skirt scrape the floor when she'd jumped.

"Wusses," he mumbled as he closed his eyes. Only he and the cat were left now, he remembered, and he felt reasonably sure that the cat would get her gift before he got his. A thought struck him: maybe she was saving the best for last? _Yeah, that was it_, he sighed as he relaxed on the roof, letting the slight breeze lull him into a light sleep.

The next morning, Inuyasha discovered that he'd overslept. Peering into the hut, he also discovered that it was empty. He frowned. _Where'd everybody go?_ He sat back and looked over the town.

He spotted Kaede a ways across the river, speaking with the Headman of this village, who seemed pissed about something. Kaede just nodded at everything he said and looked past him to where some children were playing hide-and-seek.

A few huts down, Shippo was being chased by a group of little girls, who were screaming, "Come back, cutie! We wanna braid that pretty red hair!" Inuyasha laughed out loud and pointed at Shippo as he raced by, too preoccupied to tell Inuyasha off properly.

After the screaming ball of little girls had drifted past, he put his nose to the wind, searching…there he was.

Miroku was at the tree-line, looking around and checking to make sure no one saw him as he followed a contingent of women in white robes to the river, where they would bathe in the cool waters flowing there. Inuyasha smirked. _Typical monk. What a damn pervert._ Maybe he should put a bug in Sango's ear and sit back to enjoy the show…hehehe.

Sango…where was she? He spotted movement from a clearing by the God Tree, and found both of his female companions there, Kirara sitting nearby in her large form, keeping an eye out for enemies as the girls danced, Discmans on and stuffed in their pockets, while Kagome taught Sango another new step. He raised a brow as Kagome demonstrated first, then moved with Sango to help her copy her moves, but Sango failed the first few times and kept tripping over her own feet.

Eventually she mastered the new step, and could do it perfectly. Kagome applauded her efforts and the two took a break to share some soft drinks from Kagome's bag. He decided to get closer to watch the show. The girls had been practicing this "dancing" for quite some time now, and he hung around, out of sight of course, to see just how far they'd come.

He watched as they finished their drinks, then got up, and Kagome said, "Ok Sango, let's take it from the top."

Sango nodded and took a deep breath as they both pressed Play on the Discmans and, listening to the same song, put together all the steps Kagome had taught Sango over the last few weeks.  
Inuyasha watched, impressed, if not a little turned on, by their performance. Some of the moves were…well, he wouldn't mind it if Kagome decided to dance for him, and him alone, that was for sure!

He backed away silently when they were finished, catching Kirara's eye and winking, signalling her to ignore him. She turned her massive head away, obeying his wishes. Her tails swished lazily as she warded off the flies that settled around her carnivorous jaws. Once she even tried to eat them, but they wouldn't go away. She snorted in irritation as the girls approached, Sango rubbing her head while Kagome scratched her ear.

Kirara leaned into both hands, that felt good. She whimpered when Kagome took her hand away, and walked to the nearby Well, jumped in, and disappeared. Sango said nothing; Kagome had told her that Kirara's gift would go bad and she had to give it to her when it was fresh. Kirara began to purr as Sango sated her itches and soothed her fly bites with vigorous rubbing. Sango came upon a bump in her fur and pried the hairs apart, revealing a distended and full-of-blood Myouga, and she plucked him out, asking, "You have news, Myouga, or are you just being your pesky self today?"

Myouga glared at her as she set him on her lap, and she looked back at him, unwavering, expecting an answer.

"I was just coming to warn Master Inuyasha of Lord Sesshoumaru's impending arrival. What he wants, though, I can't imagine."

Sango, lost in thought, absently began to roll Myouga around between her thumb and index finger, wondering what to make of this news. She should tell Inuyasha right away, she knew, but decided to wait for Kagome to return first.

"Okay, thanks Myouga," she said, and placed him back in Kirara's fur, where she knew he would prefer to be.

Myouga, unappreciative of her abuse, said nothing as he burrowed away into the firecat's warm fur.

A moment later Kagome reappeared, her hands full of a reddish paper-covered wad. Kirara growled with anticipation as she picked up the smell wafting from the paper.

"Here, Kirara," Kagome smiled as she set the paper before the cat. "Enjoy your steaks."

Kirara licked her fangs and nosed the paper apart, discovering five warm steaks within. She ate them in record time, and dragged the paper away to lick it and herself clean in the shade.

"You just missed Myouga," Sango said absently as she watched Kirara lick the bones from the meat clean.

"What did he want?" Kagome squirted some hand sanitizer on her palm to kill the germs from the raw meat and rubbed her hands together. "He said Sesshoumaru's coming to see Inuyasha, but he didn't know why," she replied.

"Hmm, you don't say," Kagome said as Kirara returned to the girls, rubbing her head up Kagome's back affectionately. Kagome scratched her ears and the big cat closed her eyes in pure delight.

"Well, I guess we should go tell him," she said, heaving a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. Sesshoumaru's arrivals were rarely good news, and she had a bad feeling about him today. She didn't know what he wanted, couldn't even imagine, but she knew it wouldn't be good. Not for any of them, anyway. The Western Lord was a stoic monolith of a man, the tallest she'd ever seen, not to mention handsome, but his brutality and cool veneer made everyone - except his retainer Jaken and his vassal Rin - avoid him like the plague, and for good reason.

Sesshoumaru had a reputation for murder, and, as his name implied, he was very good at it. Though he'd had ample opportunity to kill his brother, Kagome felt that he didn't because when it came right down to it, he just wasn't ruthless enough to kill his only brother, the only family he had left, regardless of his feelings.

Kagome gathered her things and Kirara carried the pack while she and Sango walked alongside her, heading back to Kaede's where'd they'd last seen Inuyasha.

Well, what do you think? It'll get good, I promise! Review my lovlies, and I'll do deds! Yay!


	2. Chapter 2

Hey people, I got no reviews so here's chapter two. Thought maybe you dudes were impatient! lol.

Disclaimer: I claim ownership of absolutely nothing but the plot. Jesus, help me smite the lawyers...please?

**Every Time We Touch**

Kagome thought about her gift to Inuyasha. She had scoured the mall at home, looking for something for the picky inu-hanyou, and had been unable to come up with anything she'd thought he'd like, besides a truckload of Ramen, which she could not afford. She sighed.

She had one other idea, but she wasn't sure he would go for it. She was eighteen now, plenty old enough to be intimate with him, should he wish. She knew her mother would have a cow if she knew, but Kagome was an adult now, and her mother could no longer tell her what she could and could not do.

Kirara growled softly as they approached the hut, warning of danger ahead. Sango grabbed a tuft of fur and held on tightly. Kagome did the same.

The giant cat slowed them to a stop as they round the corner, to see…nothing. Sango frowned, and Kagome looked around, her hair flying, the sensation of impending danger rising in her veins.

Through the tree line across the way, Sesshoumaru appeared, accompanied by Jaken and Rin. Both girls sighed in relief. There would be no fighting today.

Inuyasha, who had dozed off on the roof after returning from the girls' performance, snorted and woke himself up, and almost rolled off the edge. He cried out, "Whoa!" as he dug his claws into the wood, stopping his descent.  
Sesshoumaru, close enough to have heard him, laughed scornfully.

"Are you always this articulate, little brother?"

"What do you want, Sesshoumaru? I ain't in the mood for your shit, so make it quick before I'm forced to do you in with my Tetsusaiga."

Kagome looked from one brother to the other. This was going downhill fast.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru," she said politely, bowing a little and trying to divert both men's attention away from each other, "please tell us why you've come."

Sesshoumaru looked at her and noted her respect in the way she stood, and in her tone of voice. She was trying to prevent the inevitable fight, and he found himself respecting her a little more in return.

"Believe it or not, I am here at the urging of our Father."

Inuyasha sat up so quick he almost fell off again. He snorted. "What the hell are you blabbering about? The old man's been dead for two hundred years, how could he have possibly spoken to you? Or are you crazy now, too?"

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha, and Sesshoumaru growled loudly, his lip curling in disdain. When she saw his hand rest on Tokijin's hilt she decided to step in.

"Inuyasha, let the man speak. If this is about your Father, I'd think you'd be the first person willing to listen."

She turned back to Sesshoumaru. "Please, Lord Sesshoumaru, continue."

He smiled slightly. He liked her; she was spunky. And her actions made the hanyou furious. He liked that even more.

"Well, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted-" here Inuyasha turned up his nose and looked away, "-our Father has been coming to me in my dreams for the past several nights. He is very vague, but he keeps saying something about _'the evil one shall not fall until two brothers can stand tall'_, or something to that effect. Frankly, I'm finding it to be quite annoying, and I wish it to stop."

Inuyasha raised a brow at Sesshoumaru. "You mean the old man's coming to you in your dreams and you want him to stop? What's the matter with you?"

Kagome suspected that Inuyasha was jealous. He'd never met his Father, and would give anything to see him, speak to him, hear praise from him…be loved by him. She sympathised though; she'd barely known her Father, either, and missed him terribly.

"Nothing is the matter, Inuyasha. Father and I did not part on good terms, and I wish he would leave me alone."

Everyone present exchanged a glance. In that one sentence Sesshoumaru had revealed more about his past to them than they had been able to figure out in the three years they'd known him. His expression was still passive, but there had been a vehemence in his voice that was hard to miss.  
Inuyasha just snorted and crossed his arms.

Sango was deep in thought, and Kagome had her hand to her mouth. Was the _'evil one'_ Naraku?

"Sesshoumaru, do you think your Father was referring to Naraku when he said _'evil one'_?"

"Honestly, miko, I have no idea, nor do I care." He moved his eyes to her face. "But I'm willing to do just about anything to get him off my back and out of my head, even if it means helping my little brother, here. But be warned, Inuyasha." Here he returned his cold golden gaze to Inuyasha. "I will not tolerate your shit. If you piss me off, I will hurt you."

Inuyasha glared. Sesshoumaru only returned the favour.

"Fine. Do what you want, but don't expect anything from me." He got up and jumped away, looking for Miroku, leaving Sesshoumaru with the women.

Sango watched him leave while Kagome went forward, timidly at first, then more boldly as she got closer. "Do you have a place to stay, Sesshoumaru?" she asked, and he felt oddly touched by her concern, but nevertheless refused her.

"We will camp nearby." With that he turned, and ordered Jaken to set up a place for them to sleep.  
Rin had watched the whole exchange in silence. Kagome waved to her and the little girl ran over, and Kagome crouched.

"Well, Rin, looks like you'll be staying with us for a while. Are you hungry?" Rin nodded.

"Yes Lady, Rin is very hungry."

Kagome smiled. "Good," she said, "Shippo is around here somewhere, and he has a huge bag of candy with him. If you find him and ask him to come see me, I'll see to it that he shares some with you, alright?"

Rin grinned and nodded. Kagome had given her candy once before, and Sesshoumaru and Jaken had thought they would never hear the end of the little girl's praises for "the Candy Lady, Kagome".

Kagome smiled as she watched Rin run off in search of the fox-child, hoping she wouldn't have too difficult a time prying him away from his fan club.  
She followed Sango into the hut to begin supper.

Sesshoumaru thought about what had happened that day as he sat under a tree, watching the stars come out. Rin had joined the others in the hut for dinner, and afterwards Kagome had brought her back, along with a portion of the meat for Jaken and himself. He had thanked her, then ignored her, but she didn't leave. Rin wouldn't let her.

She begged Kagome to tell her another story, and, unable to resist the child's pleas, she had settled in with Rin on her lap to tell her a story.

Apparently Kagome had already told everyone a story in the hut, for she sighed heavily, but she made a place in her lap for the child anyway, and proceeded to spin another tale. Sesshoumaru listened with half an ear as she told Rin about a princess named Cinderella, and her two evil sisters. He thought the story amusing; always a happy ending, always a load of shit.

He frowned. There were no happy endings. Both his Mother and his Father had died in pain, and for what? He clenched his jaw in bitterness as he thought of his Mother's end, and how his Father had done nothing to stop it. _He deserved what he got,_ Sesshoumaru thought viciously, recalling his Father's demise: burning alive under a pile of flaming timber, all to save Inuyasha and his mother.

He frowned, and narrowed his eyes. It all came down to that, to why his Father was so ready to save Izayoi's life but seemed to have cared nothing at all about Sesshoumaru's Mother's life. He burned when he thought of it. Was a mere human worth more to his Father than his Mother had been? Than even _he_ had been?

He would never know. He had slowly begun to despise his Father, and aspired to defeat him, and take his place, but the Inu no Taisho had denied him that honour, as well. Sesshoumaru had had to fight every step of the way for his Father's love and approval, and now that the dead man was haunting his dreams, he felt violated and more than just a little irritated. Even in death he had seemed to give Sesshoumaru a hard time; not one, but two of his swords had chosen Inuyasha over him, and the sword that had taken to him was the one he knew his Father knew he didn't want.

Was the old man trying to be funny when he'd bequeathed him Tensaiga? If he had been Sesshoumaru failed to find his joke humorous.

When he brought himself around Kagome had long finished her story and sat next to Rin, running her fingers through the child's hair as she slept.  
When she looked up she met his gaze; he stared steadily back, to see what she would do, but she continued to look back, blinking occasionally. Finally, he spoke.

"You may return to your companions, if you wish."

It was a dismissal, and she nodded. But she didn't leave.

He was beginning to become annoyed. Her very proximity was making his temperature rise, and he could feel the blood creeping into his cheeks, staining them red. Not that she could see that in the firelight, of course, but still, he wasn't pleased.

She could feel the irritation rolling off him in waves, but she did not leave. She wondered how long it would take him to voice his displeasure with her presence.

Oddly enough, he managed to keep his thoughts to himself. She yawned, and he watched her from the corner of his eye; she stretched her arms high in the air, and he heard her spine crack several times.

She stood, and brushing her skirt off, said, "Goodnight, Sesshoumaru." then turned and left. He watched her go, the skirt flying up every now and then, giving him fleeting glimpses of her pale legs. He knew that outfit was outrageous, but couldn't help appreciating her better qualities displayed from beneath it. He thought only whores wore such revealing outfits, but she was the furthest thing from a whore he could imagine.

This woman, with the ability to purify anyone with a single touch, this innocent girl who, from her scent, was still untouched, was the epitome of all good, and he could see why she was protected so fiercely by her friends; in her innocence, others were compelled to preserve her, and shield her from the world and its pain. Strangely he himself felt a protectiveness toward her, and understood why his brother was attracted to her, although it appeared he still had not claimed her.

Sesshoumaru hated Inuyasha, but he respected his brother's right to have a mate, and a family, if he so wished. As long as they were of no threat to him, he would not harm them.

She disappeared into the hut, and he reached for the meat. It was good; he ate it all before falling into a light sleep, aware for any changes around them.

The following morning, Kagome and Sango got up early, and headed back to the clearing by the Well, to practice their dance moves before Inuyasha woke up and hurried them into a hunt for another shard of the jewel.

They turned up their music and went through the routine until they were sweaty and refreshed, awake and no longer stiff from sleep. Gathering up their things, they trooped off to the hot spring for their daily bath, meeting Shippo on the path.

Through him they confirmed that everyone was still asleep, except Sesshoumaru, who'd been gone before even they went out, so they assumed they were safe from prying eyes and jumped into the spring, splashing and making an awful racket.

Sesshoumaru had been the first awake, and had scouted the area for any signs of Naraku, whom he assumed was the _'evil one'_ his Father had referred to, since he had not graced Sesshoumaru's dreams last night. He woke up refreshed for the first time in two weeks, and decided to make the most of it. When he returned, his attention was diverted by the loud noises coming from the hot spring. He went to investigate, masking his scent in case whoever it was turned out to be a threat.

When he was close enough, he saw that it was only Kagome and Sango, and the fox-child, singing loudly and splashing hot water everywhere. Shippo flew through the air, the new ball, and screamed in delight as Sango and Kagome passed him between them.

He remembered doing that as a child, only it had been his parents passing him back and forth, not a couple of girls. He hooded his eyes. What was it about these people that made all his memories rise to the surface of his mind?

He jumped into a tree and decided to keep an eye on the women. He had nothing better to do anyway.  
When they got out and dressed, he stole away, and returned to his camp, where Jaken eyed him suspiciously, but in his better judgement said nothing.

Inuyasha rolled over. He blinked his eyes and Miroku's nose, snoring, came into brilliant focus; he pushed himself away, disgusted.

He had been dreaming, and in his dream Kagome had given him his gift…and a _very _sweet gift it had been.

He scratched behind his ears, and tried to shake off the heat he was generating from such a vivid dream. He left the hut to wash out his mouth at the stream.

He met Sango and Kagome on their way back from the spring, and they waved and called, "Morning, sleepyhead!"

He grunted and nodded to them, looking around outside and stretching his limbs.

Everyone was accounted for…except Sesshoumaru.

Inuyasha growled. What was his brother up to now? He turned around and lifted his nose to the wind. It took a minute, but he finally located his brother's stench, and he began to follow it.

Just as he disappeared into the forest, Sesshoumaru walked out, his hair flapping in the breeze, his furry ruff fluctuating across the surface, rippling like water after a rock had been dropped.  
Sango and Kagome waved to him too, then went into the hut to change.

Sesshoumaru settled at his camp, and kicked Jaken. He'd only left for a moment to do his business behind a tree and the toad had fallen back asleep!

"My apologies, my Lord," he prostrated, backing away. Sesshoumaru ignored him. It was time to move out.

He strode over to the hut, and stepped inside. The women were behind a screen, changing, while the monk, the kit, and the old woman sat around a small fire, reheating last night's leftovers. Inuyasha was absent.

"Where is Inuyasha?" he asked, his tone demanding an answer. Kagome poked her head over top of the screen and said, "Sango and I saw him just before we saw you. Isn't he outside?"

Sesshoumaru didn't answer, but turned around and went back outside to look once more.  
He saw no sign at all of Inuyasha, but his scent was fresh; he'd been here, very recently. As Sesshoumaru began to follow him, he realised Inuyasha was following his scent from earlier, when he'd gone to spy on the girls. He growled, and frowned, quickly following him.  
A few private whippings should keep the hanyou's mouth shut.

Inuyasha had followed Sesshoumaru scent to the tree branch, but lost it there, for he had been masking his scent prior to reaching it. He sniffed hard, to no avail.

Looking around, he noticed that the hot spring was clearly visible from this vantage point. Sango and Kagome had been coming from this direction when…

A grin grew on his face as it all fell into place.

Sesshoumaru, that cold, unemotional bastard, was a pervert, just like the monk! Ha! He almost giggled in anticipation. Just wait till he told the women about this little lookout point, oh, Sesshoumaru would be _soo_ dead!

He jumped as he heard a noise from below him. While he waited in silence, his claws flexing, Kikyou stepped through the foliage, followed by her horde of soul-collectors.

Inuyasha groaned inwardly. Of all the times for her to show up!  
Maybe if he didn't say anything she'd miss him.

"Inuyasha, are you not going to even greet me? Do you loathe me that much?" she asked without looking up, continuing to walk under the branch and down the path. She knew he would follow.

He had no luck today. Not a damn ounce.

He jumped down before her, making her pause. "What brings you to this neck of the woods, Kikyou?" he asked nonchalantly, hoping she wouldn't pick up on his edginess. He had a feeling she was here for the same reason Sesshoumaru was: to battle this _'evil one'_ which they all assumed to be Naraku.

She looked at him with her cold eyes. He almost felt like he was watching his brother, not his former girlfriend. Her eyes were like ice in their diamond-hard intensity, boring through him until they alighted on the answer they sought, then stabbing it ruthlessly to death.

"I am here because I have been receiving a vision from who I assume is your Father, or so he claims."

"I figured as much," he mumbled, thinking, _Kagome's really not going to like this._

A poisonous green whip came sailing out of nowhere and struck Inuyasha across the back, and he howled in pain and surprise.

Sesshoumaru walked calmly toward them, and Kikyou had quickly drawn her bow. Sesshoumaru vaguely remembered this woman; he liked the other girl better. This one stunk; death cloaked her, and it turned his stomach.

Sesshoumaru had to be quick with his words; he could hear the others following behind him, and he didn't want them to witness what he was about to say.

"Inuyasha, I assume you followed my scent to the spring this morning." It was a statement, not a question.  
Inuyasha turned, half blocking Kikyou from Sesshoumaru's view. He chuckled, amused.

_So, this dead wench is the reason the other girl goes unclaimed,_ he thought, filing this new information away. He might be able to use it against Inuyasha later.

Kikyou fired off an arrow, and as he had done to Kagome's arrow, Sesshoumaru caught it, and dissolved it.

Kikyou drew another.

"I'm just curious, hanyou," he drawled, annoyed with the dead woman, "how many lashes will it take to keep you quiet about my activities this morning?"

Inuyasha grinned, but received another lash before he could dodge it.

"Care to make it three?" Sesshoumaru was enjoying himself now.

Inuyasha decided to give in, he could hear everyone coming through the forest, they were almost on top of them.

"Fine, you have my silence," he snarled, defeated for now.

Sesshoumaru smiled graciously, and very briefly, before the familiar mask resumed his face. His fingers ceased to glow, and he put his arm down, no longer a threat.

Everyone burst through the bushes, winded and bent over.

Miroku was the first to speak. "What's going on? Why did you rush off, Sesshoumaru?"

The demon Lord turned to the monk with a look that clearly said, _None of your damn business._  
Shippo climbed onto his shoulder and, seeing Sesshoumaru's face, scuttled behind Miroku's neck and refused to come out.

Kagome looked up, and sighed. _Great,_ she thought sarcastically, _Kikyou's here. Excellent. Maybe she can show me up some more with her superior skills and make me look stupid today._

Kagome looked at her rival with little emotion; she'd gotten good at hiding her feelings these last three years, especially when it came to the dead woman. Kikyou's dead eyes stared back, almost challenging, but Kagome refused to be baited, and looked to Sesshoumaru, who had averted his gaze to Inuyasha once more.

Sango couldn't stand the silence. The tension in the clearing was thick enough to cut, and she knew that something had to happen before someone exploded.

"Well," she said loudly, clapping her hands together and moving to the centre of everyone's attention, "looks like we have another visitor. What brings you, Kikyou?"

All were silent, awaiting the priestess' answer.

Kikyou swung her gaze away from Kagome to Inuyasha and stepped up beside him. "I had a vision, of Inuyasha's Father. He asked me to find you."

Sesshoumaru blinked. _Her too? Hnh_. Just when he thought he was special…

Kagome heard Sesshoumaru's soft snort of disbelief. She, too, was not inclined to believe Kikyou's words, and she unconsciously stepped closer to the tall Lord, clearly siding with him.  
Inuyasha saw this and fought the urge to go to her. But Kikyou was vulnerable here, with his friends; he knew just as well, if not better, how much they didn't like the dead woman. They bad-mouthed her often enough that even a dimwit like him had to agree that she wasn't all-good. She was different now, but he still had a hard time accepting that, much to Kagome's extreme disappointment.

Inuyasha felt a pang of regret as he watched Kagome side with his brother.

Sesshoumaru had had enough. "Let's go, we have business to finish." he barked, and turned to lead the way back. Kagome nodded, judiciously, and immediately followed.

Kikyou noted with contempt that the stupid girl hadn't even brought her weapons, and was still blundering unarmed into unknown situations. She ignored the fact that neither the monk nor the slayer had brought their weapons, for a full demon and a half-demon had been present, and therefore made weapons rather unnecessary, especially since there was no enemy present.

Sango and Miroku followed Kagome, talking quietly amongst themselves, Shippo watching their faces intently.

Inuyasha finally began to follow, not saying anything to Kikyou, for she remained on his tail all the way back to the hut.

She said nothing the whole way.

Inuyasha was too busy feeling bad about Kagome to even notice her silence.

Well, that's chapter two. Prepare for some violence and plotzing ahead! Muahahahaha!


	3. Chapter 3

Hey people, hope I didn't make you wait too long! The point I'm at in the story is much juicy, so I'm still trying to get it on paper, er, whatever, you know what I mean!

Deds:

Das Moen - Thanks for reviewing I love to hear anything you have to say!

Disclaimer: Yada, yada, yada...oh wait, shit! Sigh. Leave me alone.

**Every Time We Touch**

When they returned, Kaede was waiting outside. She gasped when she saw Kikyou, who did no more than nod in passing, saying, "Sister."

Kaede was slightly taken aback; she had expected a warmer greeting. Seeing the look on Kagome's face, though, hardened her heart, and she felt for the poor girl.

Sango had caught up with Kagome and she whispered in her ear, and Kagome nodded. Both girls picked up their Discmans and headed for the clearing for the second time that day.

When they passed Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's arm and asked softly, "Where you guys going?"

Kagome remained passive; yet she seethed inside. _Away from you! _she thought viciously, but said, "We're going to work out some stress for a while. Come and get us when you're ready to leave."

Turning her back to him, she and Sango left, and neither girl looked back.

Inuyasha felt as if a part of his heart had just left him behind.

Sesshoumaru watched this exchange with interest. Was Kagome mad at Inuyasha? He could certainly understand if she were. Personally, he thought two-timing was vulgar, and was not at all surprised that Inuyasha would stoop to engage in such a practice.

He was of the opinion that if you found a mate in life, you should be faithful, loyal, and protective, or in Inuyasha's case, grateful. He'd had his chance with Kikyou; it hadn't panned out. But, he'd been given a second chance with Kagome, and here he was, squandering it with a corpse.

Sesshoumaru shook his head in disgust, and told Jaken to saddle Ah-Un, and get Rin ready. They were leaving within the hour, and everyone outside nodded in acknowledgement of his order.

Kikyou made herself comfortable on the floor. Only Kaede had followed her inside.

"So, Kaede, how are Inuyasha and my _reincarnation_ getting along?" She spat the word reincarnation, as if it were dirty and unholy.

Kaede was silent for a while, letting Kikyou know she hadn't appreciated her words. Kikyou did not seem to notice, but continued to bore into her sister with her cold brown eyes.

When Kaede looked up, she was smiling. "They get along very well, I must say, despite your frequent intrusions upon their relationship. I wouldn't be surprised if one of these days he claimed her for his mate."

Kikyou's eyes narrowed dangerously, but Kaede felt only satisfaction. Her sister was pissed off; however, that was of no consequence to her.

"You think so, do you?" Kikyou's tone was frosty.

"You don't?" Kaede challenged, looking out the door flap, which had been removed for the moment to allow easier entrance and exit for so many people.

Kikyou followed Kaede's gaze, and saw what she had hoped she would never see: Inuyasha, sitting on the ground, his hands under his chin, staring forlornly in the direction Kagome had gone, and sighing heavily every few moments.

He was the epitome of a dejected lover.

Kikyou snarled quietly, but returned to sipping her tea, eyes downcast.

Kaede did not gloat, though she was sorely tempted. She was still mad at Kikyou for her attitude toward her only sister, and though she knew it was petty and wrong, it made her feel better to put Kikyou in her place, something that obviously hadn't happened in a while. Kaede was beginning to suspect Kikyou was too confident, almost arrogant because she was dead and could not die twice, or so she maintained, though secretly Kaede doubted this, and thought Kikyou could do with a refresher in humility.

If she had heard correctly, there was a demon just outside with a sword capable of killing the undead, and with his volatile nature, knew he could use it on her, in fact would use it on her, if she irritated him enough, and Kaede knew Kikyou was aware of this fact. She couldn't say she'd be too disappointed if he suddenly decided to use it on her sister.

Kikyou finished her tea and stood, leaving the hut and Kaede behind, without so much as a goodbye. Kaede was happy to see her go.

Sesshoumaru watched the dead priestess approach Inuyasha, and the ensuing argument, with interest. Apparently she'd said something Inuyasha hadn't appreciated, and he stomped away, toward Miroku, who was busily packing their stuff. He gustily began to help his companion, effectively ignoring the dead wench.

Sesshoumaru allowed himself a small self-satisfied smile before he turned to check Ah-Un's saddlebags, and told Jaken to be ready, for when he returned they would leave.

"Where are you going, milord?" Jaken asked. Sesshoumaru paused, before answering, "I'm going to retrieve the rest of the women. Not that that's any of _your_ business." Jaken immediately fell to the ground, expecting a smack, but was relieved when none came, and his Lord's back receded into the trees.

Kagome danced with abandon, putting all her energy into the steps. Sango was falling behind as she sped up, sweating, and taking out her anger on the grass beneath her feet. Finally Sango grabbed her shoulders and stopped her, pulling her to her in a bone-crushing hug.

"Why?" Kagome wailed, letting it all out. "Why does she have to be here? God, she makes me feel so stupid, like a child; like I'm useless. She's so much better at _everything_! It makes me so mad!" With these last words the tears exploded, and Kagome's words were no longer intelligible through her loud sobs.

"Shh," Sango soothed, rubbing her back. "I know, Kagome, I know, we all hate her too, it's alright. You aren't useless."

Kagome wiped her nose with back of her hand, to angry to be disgusted. "I hate this, Sango. Now I'll never hear the end of how great she is and how stupid I am. I wish that woman had never been revived!"

As soon as the words were out, Kagome's hands flew to her face, and she cried even harder.

"Am I really that terrible? I feel awful for saying that, Sango, but it's true!" She crumpled into a heap on the grass, and Sango sat next to her, hugging her and comforting her.

"No, Kagome, you're not terrible," she said. "If anyone's terrible, it's Kikyou. She's not half the girl you are, Kagome. I honestly don't think she ever was, and something tells me Inuyasha thinks so too."

Kagome sniffled and looked up.

"What makes you think that?" she squeaked, snarfling loudly.

Sango giggled, but became serious. "Didn't you see the looks he was giving you before we left? He's really hung up on you, Kagome. I think he really regrets having her with us at all. From what I could tell at the clearing, her presence was accidental; I don't think he knew she was coming. Besides," she nudged Kagome playfully, "he was giving her the cold shoulder and ignoring her when you left."

Kagome smiled a little; Sango's points were valid, but she still felt as if she were second best.  
Kagome laughed a little, too. As bad as she felt right now, she was sure Inuyasha was feeling worse, if what Sango said was true.

Sesshoumaru pushed himself off the tree and began to clap. "That was very touching, but we have places to go and people to kill, ladies," he said, already heading back. "If you want to be there, I suggest you hurry up. We're leaving _now_."

Sango and Kagome followed Sesshoumaru back, and met their friends on the road, Inuyasha hefting Kagome's yellow bag. He smiled apologetically at her, and she smiled back, unable to stay mad at him. He wrapped and arm around her shoulder and ignored Kikyou's angry glares as he followed Sesshoumaru, Kagome leaning her head on his shoulder.

She felt so much better. Without saying a single word, he'd shown her who he'd chosen. She smiled, and remembered that she still hadn't given Inuyasha his gift. She decided tonight would be the night, and she snuggled into his side, basking in the glow of his love for her.

Kikyou stayed right behind Kagome and Inuyasha, never taking her eyes off them, but remained silent. Sango and Miroku exchanged a glance as they brought up the rear, Shippo and Kirara clinging to them.

Inuyasha began to grow impatient. They'd been travelling all day, and were following Sesshoumaru, since he had the best sense of smell, yet he refused to answer anyone's questions on whether he'd picked up a trail or not, or when they would stop. He pushed them past sundown. Kikyou wasn't even tired; she never was. Kagome was dead on her feet, Inuyasha carrying her, asleep in his arms. Sango and Miroku were still going, but were lagging behind more and more often, and Rin began to complain that she was hungry as dusk began to fall.

At her third complaint Sesshoumaru stopped, and Rin ran to a stream where she caught herself several fish. Jaken had a fire ready for her when she returned.

Kagome took out some Ramen from her bag, and also opened a power bar to tide Shippo over until it was ready.

Kikyou refused food; she didn't need it, and besides, she wouldn't be caught dead eating Kagome's food, no pun intended.

She watched solemnly as Kagome served Inuyasha first, then her friends, before serving herself. She snickered inwardly before laying down to sleep.

Kagome had expected to be rebuffed by Kikyou when she offered her a meal, but hadn't expected her to be as cold as she was, simply turning her nose up and responding with an arched, "No, thank you. I do not need your food."

Kagome had simply shrugged and was secretly pleased when Inuyasha glared at her. After he had scarfed three cups of noodles, Inuyasha belched and, laughing at Kagome's appalled expression and curt, "Excuse you!", he'd settled next to her and draped an arm over her shoulder.

She ate her last bite, and, when no one was watching, since almost everyone was asleep, excepting Sesshoumaru, who sat nearby, facing away, one knee propped up and his elbow resting upon it, keeping watch, she leaned close to Inuyasha and whispered in his ear, "I never gave you your present."

His ears flicked , and he whipped his eyes to hers, a half-smile on his face. He'd forgotten, too!

He brushed her cheek with his thumb. "It's okay," he said huskily, his blood heating up, "I forgive you."

She smiled back. "You're sweet," she leaned closer. "but I won't feel right until I give it to you."

Grabbing his hand, she led him away, toward her sleeping bag. Dropping his hand for a moment, she rolled it back up and tucked it under her arm, then resumed his hand. He looked at her, his head tilted. What did she have in mind?

Kagome was nervous; she was doing an admirable job of hiding it, though. He followed her unquestioningly as she led him into the forest, to the nearby stream. Spreading the sleeping bag all the way open, she smoothed it out and put rocks on all four corners. He watched in silence as, when she was done, she kneeled before him, a happy glow to her pretty face.

She finally spoke, after searching his eyes for a moment. "Inuyasha, your gift isn't something I spent money on; in fact, nothing I could buy I found suitable to give you. Nothing seemed to be right, until I thought of this. I have something I can only give one man, and I want that man to be you. Inuyasha," she paused, and he took in a sharp breath, "I want to give you my virginity. Will you accept it?"

He was speechless; this was his dream come true!

"Nothing would please me more, Kagome," he said, sitting so he could be eye-level with her.

She smiled, happy.

Slowly, he leaned in to kiss her. Seeing his intent, she met him half-way, and he brought her down with him, she on top, his fingers already reaching under her shirt, looking for the catch on her bra.

Kikyou watched the whole scene with fire in her eyes. How dare that little slut take Inuyasha from her, and right here in the open?

She balled her fists, and brought up her bow.

_This is the last time I lose him to you, girl,_ she thought as she lined up the arrow and notched it.

Before she could loose it, however, a large clawed hand slammed over her mouth, and she dropped both bow and arrow in her fear.

Sesshoumaru spun her around, pinned her to a tree and snarled in her face, "Don't you know it's rude to spy?"

He adjusted his hand so she could speak, but now she was pinned by her neck, not her face.

"You're one to talk," she gasped, "what with all the spying you did this morning. I should think you'd know when to keep _your_ mouth shut."

He tightened his grip, and she struggled, but did not die. He held her there a good five minutes; still she breathed, just barely. Tensaiga pulsed.

Kikyou's eyes shot wide open, she'd felt it too. This was the only man she knew she should fear, and she had baited him unnecessarily. Now she was going to pay for it.

She loathed thinking that Kaede had been right.

Sesshoumaru smiled, and drew Tensaiga. She thought that when this man smiled, it was not a good thing.

The thin katana glowed blue, and pulsed continuously, begging Sesshoumaru to use it on the dead wench.

He brought it to her throat, having let go of her a few moments before, knowing she would not dare run, for he would be on her in less than a second.

"True as that may be, wench," he growled, the thought of her death warming the blood in his veins, "you shouldn't have wandered off. I cannot keep watch if everyone wanders away, now can I? I do not mind them," he tilted his head in his brother's direction, "but you…that is unacceptable. If you don't already know it, I don't trust you. I do not believe that my Father appeared to you, but I do believe that you are working for Naraku, and believe me, if I find out that is true, your time on this earth will end again, and you will _not_ be coming back."

Tensaiga was practically vibrating by now, and Kikyou felt real fear for the first time since she'd been resurrected. This demon was not lying; he had the strength, the speed, and the lack of conscience to do to her as he promised.

Unlike Inuyasha and Naraku, who found it near impossible to ignore her, much less kill her, Sesshoumaru suffered from no such inhibitions and would kill her quicker than he could blink. She was just another human to him, a dead, lying, devious human at that. He viewed her as he would a poisonous snake, something that needed to be killed, no matter how you looked at it, and it made no never mind to him how he killed her, either.

She held up both hands in defeat. He snorted, disappointed that she wouldn't put up a fight. He found himself relishing her death, as he slashed the undead life from her with the only relic of his Father's he had.

Re-sheathing Tensaiga, he growled, "Get back to your place, woman. I catch you out of it again…_you die_."

She nodded once, glaring. Picking up her bow and arrow, she walked slowly away, feeling his eyes on her the whole way.

Inuyasha looked up, listening. He hated to tear himself away, but one of them had to be on the lookout. He knew Sesshoumaru was watching over the others, and would not care if Inuyasha himself wandered away. The forest became silent again, and Kagome pulled his face back to hers, yanking his shirt over his head as she kissed him.

He smiled into her mouth and chuckled when she smiled back, and kissed her eyes, while she licked his chin, a sign of submission.

This was the best gift he'd ever gotten in his entire life.

They stayed there for the rest of the night.

The next morning, Sango awoke, rubbing the crusties from her eyes and yawning. Sesshoumaru glanced her way, but his sight never strayed from the dead woman, who remained in her bed, still asleep.

He paid no attention as Inuyasha and Kagome emerged from the forest, the sleeping bag rolled up under her arm.

Sango looked at Kagome, her mouth open. Kagome winked, and Sango closed her mouth, and smiled knowingly in return. Sesshoumaru snorted.

Inuyasha kissed Kagome, and whispered in her ear, "I'm going hunting. Anything you want?"

She nuzzled his neck with her nose. "Whatever you bring will be just fine, Inuyasha," she whispered back, adding, "I love you. Be safe."

He grinned. "Always. I love you, too. And _only_ you."

With that he took off, and Sesshoumaru wanted to gag at the sappy words he'd just heard, but Kagome's humming filled his head as she began to unpack the stuff she'd need for cooking.

Her fire had gone out through the night, because Sesshoumaru hadn't bothered to bank it, but had made sure Jaken banked theirs, for Rin to stay warm. Kagome ripped up a dry swatch of grass and approached him, her face a pretty pink.

"May I borrow some of your fire, milord?" she teased, and, giving him her brightest smile, didn't wait for him to answer as she held her swatch of grass over the flames.

"It would appear that I am powerless to stop you," he replied, but pointed at her hand, "however, you may want to watch what you're doing before you burn your fingers."

She looked at her hand, and saw the flames licking up close to her nails.

"Yeow!" she cried as she ran back to her own fire pit and dropped the grass on it, alternately blowing it and her hand as she tried to re-start it.

Miroku had jumped awake at her shout, and farted. Everyone stared at him, and Shippo started to laugh.

"Oops," he said, turning very red, "it just slipped out!"

Sango shuffled away, saying, "Uh huh, sure it did, Miroku. Kind of like your hand just 'slips' over my ass, right?" She shook her head in disgust.

"You're sick, Miroku!" Kagome laughed, sucking her sore fingers. The fire had melted her nail polish and it had begun to curl back. She'd have to fix it later, after she taped up her fingers. They were getting sorer by the minute. But the fire roared to life, much to her delight. She began to boil water.

Kikyou was the last to wake. She stretched elegantly and made herself comfortable at the fire, but spoke to no one. She did, though, glare several times in Sesshoumaru's direction. He just smiled in return.

Everyone in the group witnessed that, and all exchanged nervous glances. Kikyou, however, didn't seem concerned, though everyone thought she should be.

_She must have done something awful for Sesshoumaru to smile at her like that,_ Kagome thought, and made a mental note to ask him about it later.

Inuyasha returned shortly with a small mess of fish to a quiet group. He handed the fish to Kagome who took them with a smile, then passed them to Sango and Miroku, who scaled and spitted them quickly, having done so many times before. Kagome handed him a cup of Ramen to eat while they waited for the fish to cook.

Kikyou had removed herself from the group and had taken out a mortar and pestle, and was diligently grinding some sort of plant matter in the tiny bowl of the mortar. No one paid her any attention as she did this, except Sesshoumaru. He'd made it his business to keep a constant eye on her. Something about her just didn't ring true, and he was certain she was a fraud.

After breakfast, they packed everything up and headed out again, but in the confusion Sesshoumaru had not seen where Kikyou had stashed her plant paste. He had smelled it from where he was sitting, and it had smelled awful. He wouldn't be surprised if it was poisonous, from the way it stunk.

Regardless, she was no longer carrying it in plain view. His hackles rose. She was practically begging him to kill her, and he could barely suppress the urge to oblige her.

Once again Sesshoumaru took the lead, everyone falling in pairs behind him.  
Inuyasha held Kagome's hand, Shippo grinning at her shoulder, while Miroku tried to reach Sango's who kept moving out of his range. Kikyou was stalking silently next to a transformed Kirara, who stuck very close to her, Kikyou noted with annoyance. Rin rode Ah-Un behind Sesshoumaru, and Jaken held the beast's reins, walking before it.

They trooped along in silence. Kikyou, at the rear, was trying to come up with a way to get Inuyasha alone, while Kagome was looking for an opening to approach Sesshoumaru.

Her opportunity came when Rin said she had to pee, so the little caravan stopped for a bathroom break. Inuyasha said he had to go too, so the rest waited while he and Rin did their thing.

Kagome sidled up next to Sesshoumaru, and said quietly, "What's with you and Kikyou? I saw you smile at her this morning. No offence, but you only smile when you're really mad. What's the deal?"

He turned his body toward her but kept his head in its original position.

"You really want to know?" he asked.

"Of course!" she hissed.

"Fine." He told her about how he'd caught Kikyou spying on her and Inuyasha last night, and watched with a detached sympathy as her face became an angry mask.

"Did you do anything to her?" she demanded, wanting to know…_needing_ to know.

"I told her if I caught her out of her place again, that I would kill her."

Kagome met his gaze here, and he stared steadily back, his face never changing. _He really means it,_ she thought, before looking down at her taped fingers. Then he said something she had not expected.

"That woman is poison, and you should not trust her." He narrowed his eyes at her, and she tilted her head.

"What makes you say that?"

"She does not speak the truth. Her stories about my Father coming to her in a vision are lies. I smell nothing but deceit on her, and I know you agree, Kagome."

She looked away again, ashamed to be stooping so low, but not feeling too bad knowing he felt the same way.

He continued, ruthlessly.

"I saw you side with me yesterday. You didn't have to say anything, but your moving closer let everyone know your opinion. Frankly, you are just to be suspicious of her. I believe she is the tool of Naraku and I mean to find her out. I told her as much last night when I tried to choke the life from her."

At this Kagome's eyes whipped back to his, only to find nothing but truth reflecting there.  
_So that's why he smiled at her,_ she thought, the whole picture falling into place. _That bitch!_

She stood up on tip-toe and yanked his ear down to her mouth.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru," she whispered, and he offered her a genuine smile, a very short one, before resuming his emotionless mask.

He glanced back at the group. Everyone was milling around, talking, but -

He frowned, and his hand flew to Tensaiga's hilt, making Kagome jump.

"What is it?" she asked.

"The dead bitch," he growled, "is gone."

Kikyou had waited all morning for an opportunity as good as this one. As soon as her reincarnation had captured all Sesshoumaru's attention, and the others were not watching her, she'd slipped away, her hand gripping the tiny bag she'd strung to her waist, full of the paste she'd been grinding this morning.

She followed Inuyasha, hoping to catch him in the middle of his business, when she would slice him, hold him at knife-point, then smear the paste over his wound.

She wasn't as lucky as she'd hoped. He'd already re-tied his pants by the time she sauntered up to him, clutching him around the waist as Kagome would have done. It worked, because at first he thought she was Kagome.

"Miss me already?" he asked, a smile in his voice. She was behind him, so he hadn't seen her yet.

"I always miss you, Inuyasha," she hissed, and he stiffened, recognising her voice immediately, but flinching sharply from the knife slightly embedded in his back.

She laughed low, provocatively. "Don't fucking move," she said, and turned him to face her. His eyes were confused, but soon they just became angry.

"What are you doing, Kikyou?" he ground out, angry at himself for falling into her trap.

"I'm not doing anything, Inuyasha. But I will be." She slashed at him, catching his throat, and making a thin smear of blood trickle from the wound.

He grunted in shock more than pain. _What was wrong with her?_ She hadn't tried to kill him for a long time. _Why was she trying again now?_

Then it all seemed to come together. Sesshoumaru and Kagome were right to be suspicious; he should have followed his instincts, too. And now she would try to kill him.

Not if he could help it.

Before he could react, she smeared her fingers over the wound, almost like a slap, and at first he thought she had slapped him, before his cut began to sizzle and burn, making him cry out in pain.

She turned and ran, as fast as she could, away from the group, away from that demon, and away from Inuyasha, who now had her poison paste in his bloodstream. There would be no escape for him.

Sesshoumaru flew toward Inuyasha, Kagome clinging to his back by his fur. The others followed, but were way behind.

He drew Tensaiga in readiness, and Kagome clung tighter, not wanting to slow him by falling off.

When they reached Inuyasha he had slumped to the ground, clutching his neck. Kagome ran to him as Sesshoumaru took off, following his nose and ears after Kikyou. _Say your prayers wench,_ he thought, baring his teeth in anticipation, _your life will end_ now.

Kikyou breathed hard as she fought her way to the river. If she could just make it to a river, she could lose that bastard demon, Sesshoumaru. _A dog's sense of smell may be good,_ she thought maliciously, _but it's useless when the target gets wet!_

Luck was just not on her side that day.

Long before she ever reached the river, she was pushed face-down from behind, and long claws were embedded in the back of her neck, painfully crushing her face into the ground. She began to hear a sizzling as his claws began to secrete poison, and it was eating her, smoking as she struggled to get away.

He banged her head against the ground, and kneeled over her, whispering in her ear, "I warned you, bitch, but you just didn't listen."

She heard the _zing!_ as he pulled out Tensaiga, and held it over her acid-eaten back.

He positioned it over her neck, and waited as it glowed a brilliant blue, and pulsed in readiness.

Swinging it down, he said, "_Die_."

He severed her head from her body, watching with satisfaction as the bearers from the Underworld dragged her away, screaming and kicking.

Only the clay shell was left, and it began to turn to ash and blow away, and he spit on it in contempt.

"That will be that last time you mock me with visions of _my_ Father," he snarled, and wiping Tensaiga off, he re-sheathed it, and turned his back, returning to the others.

He felt much better.

Naraku smiled. Finally, Kikyou was dead! At long last, that bastard Sesshoumaru had finished that bitch off. Even though he had been using her, he felt no regret at losing her services. She, of course, had not known he was using her, though he suspected she had begun to suspect him.

When he'd given her that vision, she had believed it, initially. What he'd counted on was Kagome and Sesshoumaru's suspicions against her making her angry, and would spur her to retaliate.

She knew that they would all ultimately face off with him, though she could not have known when. Either way, no matter when he decided to strike, Inuyasha would be dead, or at least severely weakened from the poison Kikyou had wiped on his wound.

He laughed in satisfaction.

Apparently Kikyou had wanted only Kagome to suffer, for Sesshoumaru cared not whether Inuyasha died, it was of no consequence to him.

Either way, Kikyou had done him a huge favour, by minimising the threats against him. Now he really only had to worry about Sesshoumaru, for Inuyasha would soon be out of the picture.

He sat back and began to formulate a good plan that would take care of the bothersome demon Lord.

Kagome was holding Inuyasha to her chest when Sesshoumaru returned, bawling her eyes out. Something in him flinched at seeing her tears, her anguish at having her new found love taken from her so soon after discovering it.

She looked up at him, and he could see when she moved that his brother was still alive, but just barely. His life-force was draining away fast.

He stopped before them and said, "It is done. The _maneater_ is finally dead."

Kagome sighed in relief. Inuyasha smiled, and weakly tried to hug Kagome, but his arms would not obey his mind.

She looked back to him and stroked his cheek, her tears sliding down his face.

"I love you," he whispered, before he closed his eyes for the last time.

She panicked.

Shaking him, she yelled, "Inuyasha! You can't leave me! You promised you'd always protect me!"

Her pitiful cries drew the attention of the others as they came forward, having stood back out of the way when it became obvious that Inuyasha was dying.

Sesshoumaru felt his gut lurch and his heart twist as he watched her lament his brother's death. She cried so loud his ears hurt, yet he remained where he stood.

Finally, he could stand it no more. Tensaiga pulsed loudly as he drew it once more.

Everyone gasped, and Kagome looked up through her tears, to see Sesshoumaru with the sword in hand, slashing at Inuyasha's body.

A blue light filled the clearing, and blinded them all. A wind began to blow, and soon the dust filled the air, making everyone cough.

Then abruptly, the light faded, leaving momentary blackness.

Spots danced before Kagome's eyes as she held Inuyasha close, his face turned up to her so she could be the first thing he saw when he awoke. Sesshoumaru shook the steam from the sword before re-sheathing it, and waited.

A minute passed; then two. He frowned. _Had it worked?_

Kagome began to cry silent tears, thinking that it hadn't worked. She pulled him to her chest again and choked, "I love you, Inuyasha, please come back to me."

Sango was undone by her words and cried out, gripping Miroku tightly, his own tears beginning to flow anew.

Shippo was slowly approaching Kagome from behind when she gasped, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Sesshoumaru's head snapped up, having dropped his gaze when it appeared that his efforts had been in vain. Rin appeared from behind him, her eyes wet, and clutched his leg, looking for comfort. He patted her head.

Kagome cried out in joy as she heard Inuyasha take a breath and his lungs fill with air as his eyes fluttered open, his beautiful golden eyes, the eyes she cherished in her memory so much.

Everyone glanced at everyone else. When they saw him sit up and wrap his arms around Kagome's neck, they converged on the couple, patting Inuyasha's shoulder and welcoming him back.

Only Sesshoumaru did not approach, only looked on with apathy.

_She was wrong, little brother_, he was thinking, _only I shall have the pleasure of killing you. No one else._

Kagome smiled her thanks at him, and he inclined his head in acknowledgement.

Inuyasha came to stand before him, after hugging everyone. He had a frown on his face, and it took him a very long time to say what was on his mind, much to Sesshoumaru's amusement.

Finally, he ground out roughly, "Thanks, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at him. "I didn't do it for you."

Inuyasha's mouth opened, but before he could launch into an angry tirade, he continued, "I did it for her. Only I will have the pleasure of taking your life, Inuyasha, and no one else. Only I will decide when it is time for your death."

Inuyasha stared at him, speechless. Then, as Kagome took his hand in hers, and he looked into her eyes, he smiled and said, "Fair enough."

Sesshoumaru had as good as guaranteed that as long as Kagome was alive, Inuyasha would not die. He agreed because he did not feel life would be worth living after she was gone.

Pulling her close, he kissed her passionately, and everyone smiled, even Sesshoumaru, though it was so quick no one saw it. When he could stand this public display of affection no longer he barked, "Let's go people. We've still got an enemy to slay."

He led the way back to the clearing, the rest following slowly behind.

Well, chapter three in all its glory. Review my lovlies, and I'll love you until the day you die, which, God forbid, is no time soon! Thank you for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

Well, I got bored and decided to submit chapter four. Read my pretties!

Deds: None. Nobody's been reviewing (glares).

Disclaimer: Fine, take it all.

**Every Time We Touch**

Kagome stuck close to Inuyasha for the next few days, was always in contact. She was either clutching his arm, holding his hand, or sitting with her knees bumping his. The smile never left her face, and she kissed him at every available opportunity.

Miroku was starting to get jealous.

Sango watched it all with indulgence, wishing nothing but happiness for her two friends. For Miroku, however, she wished restraint. The chummier their friends got, the sneakier he got, and she couldn't keep her guard up all the time. As a result, he often had a red face from all the slaps she was giving him in return for his efforts.

Shippo tended to hang close to Kirara, since he didn't want to wind up in the middle of a lip lock with a big bump to show for it. His bag of candy kept him happy, though, and his only concern was fending Rin off, who followed him closely, just waiting to get her hands on some of his candy.

Kirara was happy since everyone else was happy, and there were no enemies attacking…right now, anyway.

Jaken grumbled and mumbled about everyone and everything; he was having a harder time adjusting to the added company than Sesshoumaru was, and _he_ was used to being alone almost all the time, yet he said nothing, only continued to lead the way.

When night fell on the third day, Sesshoumaru had picked a spot to camp that was located in a small clearing, with high rock wall on two sides and a sheer drop-off on the third, leaving only one side open to attack.

Inuyasha volunteered first watch, and he nodded, and headed for a nearby pool to bathe.

While he was gone, the rest of them sat close together around the fire, listening to Sango's attempt at a ghost story. Only Jaken did not come close, preferring to sit with his back against Ah-Un, even though the dragon had opted to sit fairly close, within the circle of firelight.

Kagome made herself comfortable in Inuyasha's lap, and began braiding his hair while she listened to Sango's soft voice. Inuyasha was keeping an ear turned toward the one open side of their campsite, but his eyes were on Kagome, as he watched her play with his hair, his mind going back to the other night when they'd first made love, when he had claimed her finally as his own, and the following day when he had died.

He frowned slightly. He'd seen his Father that day, and he had been disappointed when something had pulled him back. He remembered clearly everything his Father had said to him in those precious few minutes he'd spoken to him.

_"Inuyasha," his Father had boomed; his voice was deep and melodic, much like Sesshoumaru's, but with more mirth and no coldness.  
_

_"Father?" he'd asked timidly, wondering if this was a trick. He'd suffered many visions since meeting Naraku, and he couldn't be sure if this was real or if it was just another of Naraku's traps.  
_

_"Yes, son, it is I, your Father. You grew to be a strapping young man, didn't you? Your Mother always insisted you would be when she was pregnant. You've been keeping out of trouble?"  
_

_Inuyasha blinked. His Father sure liked to change the subject when he wasn't expecting him to.  
_

_"Trouble? Ha! I don't look for trouble, I make it, Old Man!" he laughed, and his Father smacked his back, laughing with him.  
_

_"That's my boy! I always knew you'd be like me, no matter what all the other Lords said. They were wrong, that's for sure!"  
_

_Inuyasha smiled at his Father's praise. He wondered when he'd ask about Sesshoumaru.  
_

_"Well, since we have only a few more minutes, tell your Old Man what your brother's been up to. From what I know, he's being his usual stubborn self."  
_

_"He said you were pestering him in his dreams, and he was really pissed off at you. He always gets pissed off whenever anybody brings you up, Father, why is that?"  
_

_His Father sighed. "Because, the night when you were born, we had an argument. It hadn't started with that, of course. I believe his anger toward me started long before, when his Mother died and I did nothing to save her, or so he thought. He would never listen when I told him that I'd tried, but he never believed me. _

_"Anyway, that night, I had just battled Ryukkotsusei and was severely injured. He met up with me after the battle, and he said he wanted to fight me. I think he knew I was dying, but he gave me some shit about walking the path of conquest as his reason for wanting my swords, Tetsusaiga and Sou'unga, and he challenged me. I walked away from him, and I think he still burns about it." Here his Father shook his head, sadly.  
_

_"I think the fact that I died before he could fight me for supremacy froze him. He had always been a warm and loving child, and as a teenager was obedient and skilled in all his lessons, always did as he was asked, but after his Mother died, he was never the same."  
_

_Inuyasha nodded, understanding the insight his Father was giving him into his brother's life.  
_

_"Well, it looks like he's going to do the right thing, this time," his Father said, and gently pushed Inuyasha back the way he'd come.  
_

_"It was great to see you finally, Inuyasha. You have no idea how long I've wanted to meet you. But, now is not your time, Sesshoumaru is calling you back. Say hello to him for me."  
_

_"Father, wait!" he called, as a bright blue light engulfed him._

Inuyasha looked into Kagome's eyes, but found they were closed; she'd fallen asleep. He leaned back into a tree and looked up at the moon. His watch was almost up. He looked around, everyone was getting ready for bed. He'd missed the punch line of Sango's story. Oh well.

He spotted everyone, but Sesshoumaru was still bathing. _What's taking so long?_ Inuyasha wondered. _Was he that dirty?  
_

He heard a massive crash then, and laying Kagome down, even though she'd woken up, he dashed toward the sound, the others following, Sango grabbing up Hiraikotsu and strapping it to her back.

They found Sesshoumaru at the pond, battling Ryokan, three jewel shards glowing in his forehead, a swarm of buzzing Saimyoshou surrounding him.

Sesshoumaru only had his hakama on, and his swords lay next to the rest of his clothes and his fur, behind Ryokan.

They all watched, momentarily confounded, as Ryokan charged, and Sesshoumaru awaited him, calm as the surface of a frozen pond. When Ryokan was only three feet away, Sesshoumaru disappeared, and the ground exploded in rock and fist, but Sesshoumaru was not there; he was in the air above Ryokan, and his fingers glowed green as his whip materialised and slashed Ryokan repeatedly across the back, then on his face as he turned, the blows raining down on him mercilessly.

Inuyasha cringed; he knew how that felt. What he couldn't understand was how Ryokan was taking it all.

He began to laugh at Sesshoumaru's attempts to whip him into submission, but was quickly brought to his knees after Kagome shouted, "Sesshoumaru! He's got three shards! Hit him in the forehead, between the eyes!"

Inuyasha handled Tetsusaiga, ready to jump in if the need arose. Sesshoumaru, hearing Kagome's warning, aimed and cracked Ryokan in the precise spot she'd indicated, sending his shards flying away in three different directions.

Naraku's Saimyoshou got one, but Sango caught another and Shippo the last one, after he'd transformed into his pink puff.

Ryokan knelt on the ground, having shrunk in size now that the shards no longer influenced him. He began to cry angrily, and everyone approached him.

Sango and Shippo gave Kagome their shards, which she added to her necklace where her shards rested. They immediately fused to the rest of the jewel and glowed a pretty pink.

Sesshoumaru was the last to come close, sweating slightly as he strapped his swords back on with his one hand, foregoing his shirt for now.

"_Ryokan_," he said in a tone that meant certain death.

"I'm so sorry, Lord Sesshoumaru. Naraku captured me again, and flicked those horrible things into my brain! I told him I never wanted to be used again, but he insists on torturing me, my Lord!"

Sesshoumaru listened intently. Everyone's eyes were on him. He decided that he would let Ryokan off, this time.

"Leave us, Ryokan. If I have to face off with you again, shards or no shards, I _will_ kill you."

Ryokan bowed until his forehead touched the ground. "Thank you, my Lord."

And with that he rose up and walked away, quickly at first then at a slower pace, nursing all his slash wounds from Sesshoumaru's whip.

Sesshoumaru retrieved his shirt and put it on. "It would appear Naraku is close by," he said nonchalantly, unworried. Inuyasha gripped Tetsusaiga, growling in agreement.

"Come on you two, it's too late to do anything now," Kagome said, leading Inuyasha away by the hand, and touching Sesshoumaru's arm briefly. "We'll go after him first thing in the morning."

The sun rose slowly; Sesshoumaru paid little attention. He sat alone, on the cliff, facing the rising sun in a meditative position, trying to find Nirvana. He'd never actually achieved it, but found the effort relaxing and spiritually soothing nonetheless.

He heard the others waking up, and Jaken's snoring evened out; he always woke up slowly, because his blood was cool. He moved faster when it got warmer outside.

Rin yawned loudly and stretched, her little toes cracking. He smiled in his mind; she was a cute little thing.

Miroku came next, rubbing his face and thankfully, not releasing gas…yet. Sesshoumaru began to count down from ten.

Shippo yelled "Bingo!" as soon as Sesshoumaru reached one, and Miroku exploded, and woke everyone else up who was still sleeping.

Sango yelled from under her arm, "Damn it Miroku, every single morning you do that!"

Kagome said, "You are _sooo _disgusting, Miroku."

And Inuyasha rolled over and cracked his nut with his Tetsusaiga, causing Miroku to lose his grin and yell, "Ow! Damn it, what was that for?"

"That was for trying to kill me with your stench, you asshole!" Inuyasha's eyes became all swirly, and Kagome held him in her lap, stroking his ears.

"Well, excuse me, but I can't help it! And wasn't it you, Kagome, who told us that the average person farts at least fourteen times a day? That keeping it in wasn't good for you? Hmm? Was that not you?" He pointed at her, patiently awaiting an answer.

Kagome glared and Sesshoumaru spoke up.

"Is that true?"

Everyone turned to look at him, Rin's giggles becoming even louder after his question.

By now they'd all started to laugh, even Inuyasha, at Sesshoumaru's question.

Kagome held her gut. "Yes, it's true," she confirmed, then burst out laughing, leaning on Sango who was crying tears of laughter. Miroku couldn't stop grinning, and Inuyasha was pointing at him, Shippo yelling, "Bingo!" once again from his perch on the hanyou's shoulder.

Sesshoumaru thought about this. _People really farted that often?_ He snorted. They'd obviously never heard a dog-demon fart.

"Well," he said, after the laughter had died down a bit, "I guess I'm justified in letting off a little steam, then." And he farted, blowing Rin off the dragon Ah-Un with the wind he created, making her howl with laughter.

Kagome and Sango were knocked flat on their backs from the shock wave, Miroku _miraculously_ landing on top of Sango, while Inuyasha hit a tree and Shippo transformed to cushion him, all to the sound of a hard slap and a shouted, "HENTAI!"

Jaken had been flipped ass-over-applecart, and came to a stop on his head, his ass in the air, while Kirara had fallen down a rabbit hole and was mewling pitifully because she couldn't get out.

Kagome was the first to recover. Sesshoumaru still sat with his back to them, the sun shining around his silver head, his hair settling from his own breeze.

"Luckily for you people," he added, getting up, "my farts don't stink, unlike the monk's. You people really are disgusting."

With that he walked toward the water source, last night's pond, to get a drink. "Hurry up with breakfast," he ordered over his shoulder, and Kagome looked to Sango when both girls saw his shoulders shake with silent laughter before he disappeared.

"What do you know," Kagome whispered.

"The guy's got a sense of humour after all," Sango finished, and both girls broke out in a fresh round of giggles.

"What can I say," Miroku smiled, "I have that effect on people!"

Sango punched him in the chest. "Sure you do, houshi," she said, and Miroku clutched his man-boob, moaning, "Oh, Sango, you wound me!"

Inuyasha smacked the back of his head and laughed like a maniac.

"No, _I_ wound you! Ha!"

Kagome shook her head, and rose to prepare breakfast, when Rin clutched her leg and smiled up at her. "Kagome?" she asked sweetly.

"Yes, Rin?" she replied.

"Thanks!" Rin grinned and yelled to Shippo, "See? She said yes! Now gimme some candy!"

Shippo stuck his tongue out and hid under Inuyasha's hair, screaming, "No way!"

Kagome laughed, and Inuyasha plucked Shippo out of his hair and smacked him away like a baseball.

"Not for breakfast, honey, I brought some Lucky Charms, you'll like them. They're practically candy."

Rin's eyes opened wide and she hopped up and down in excitement.

Sango's eyes lit up too; Lucky Charms were her favourite! Inuyasha stuck close, and Miroku draped an arm around Kagome's shoulder, and leading her toward her bag said smoothly, "Don't let us stand in your way of getting those out, Kagome, I insist!"

She flung his arm off and Sango smacked him, leaving a bump.

"Ow." he said, used to the pain already today.

Kagome produced the big red box (the small box just disappeared too fast, so she started buying big ones) and they all held out their hands.

_Who needs milk?_ Kagome thought wryly as she watched everyone gobble the cereal up.

His mouth full, Inuyasha said, "You know, Kagome, your era has such awesome food. I wish we had this in our time!" Pieces of marshmallow flew from his mouth as he spoke; Miroku pushed him out of the way, jamming his hand inside the box for another handful.

Rin was enjoying her portion; it disappeared in three seconds. Kagome did a double take when she saw her hand reach into the box, already empty.

After five minutes the box was half-gone, and Kagome took it away.

"Hey!" everyone yelled, complaining.

"No!" she hissed. "We have to save some for later, this is all I brought!"

"Aw, man!" Shippo groaned, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Kagome looked up as Sesshoumaru reappeared, his hair wet.

"Let's get the lead out people! Naraku's still out there, and we've got hanyou ass to kick!"

Everyone scrambled to collect their things as Sesshoumaru grabbed his dragon's reins and, waiting for Rin to seat herself, started out, leading the way as usual.

Returning from whence they'd come, they followed a path down the cliff side, and almost everyone clung to the wall in fear. It was gusty, and Shippo nearly flew away more than once, the last time grabbing Inuyasha's hair as he was sucked away, making the hanyou scream in pain.

When they finally reached the bottom, Kagome still had her hand over her heart, trying to slow its pounding. Sesshoumaru stopped, and held up his hand; he smelled something.

Everyone froze; the silence was complete. Inuyasha flicked Tetsusaiga's hilt up with his thumb, the only sound in the entire canyon. The ground began to shake. Kagome grabbed her bow and an arrow, Miroku clutched the rosary around the Wind Tunnel, and Sango reached for Hiraikotsu.

Sesshoumaru did nothing.

A wind began to build up, and soon a cyclone could be seen in the distance, closing in. Everyone groaned and dropped their weapons. Apparently, they knew who was coming.

Sesshoumaru recognised the wolf scent. _Kouga_, he thought, _what do you want?_

Inuyasha was thinking the same thing. Kagome put her things down and rubbed her temples, preparing herself for the scene that was about to occur.

Kouga stopped two feet in front of Kagome, taking her hand from his kneeling position. Dust covered her, not to mention everyone in the canyon. Sesshoumaru was not pleased.

He bent to kiss it, but stopped, and sniffed it instead. He followed the smell up her arm to her neck, where he pushed back her hair, and saw a bite mark…a dog-demon bite mark. She smiled apologetically.

Inuyasha came around her then, and draping an arm over her shoulders, raised an eyebrow in the wolf's direction.

"Got a problem, fleabag?" he drawled, and Kagome wanted to hug him, so she did.

Kouga was appalled; he was outraged; he'd been _jipped_!

"Yeah, I sure as hell got a problem! Who told you, you could mate my woman? I claimed her as mine! You've soiled her, mutt!"

Kagome's face made an _how dare you?_ expression as Inuyasha lashed out and punched the wolf's jaw, a satisfying _crack!_ resounding off the canyon walls.

Sango and Miroku nodded, feeling Inuyasha was justified in his action, and Kagome clung to him, while he yelled, "Insult my woman again, wolf, and next time you won't be getting up, 'cause I'll finish the job!"

Kagome kissed Inuyasha's cheek. "Thank you, Inuyasha." she said, and looked to Kouga with a raised brow.

Kouga rubbed his sore jaw as he rose to his feet, wondering what had happened between these two to cement their relationship so solidly. The last time he'd encountered them, Kagome hadn't thought twice about sitting the dog-boy into oblivion for the slightest offence, but now she clung to him for dear life, as if she would founder if she let go.

He snorted. This wasn't a problem. He resolved to stay with them in their search from here on out, no matter who protested. He was going to win Kagome's heart away from Inuyasha, and all he needed to do it was time.

"I'm sorry, Kagome," he apologized, after his moment of thought, in which all the bystanders had taken a seat, except Sesshoumaru, who'd left to scout the entrance to the canyon they were travelling through.

"I forgive you, Kouga," she said graciously, and Inuyasha glanced at her as if to say, _you sure you wanna do that?_,but she didn't turn to see his look.

"Don't ever do it again," Inuyasha snarled, and led Kagome away, toward where Sesshoumaru had gone. Sango and Miroku rose to follow, and Kouga did too, silently, bringing up the rear.

Inuyasha turned back and yelled, "Why are you following us? She said _no_, don't you get it?"

Kouga glared, and Kagome lay a hand on her hanyou's arm, whose fingers were stroking Tetsusaiga, just itching to use it on the pesky wolf.

"Inuyasha, maybe we should ask him to join us. I mean, Sesshoumaru's already here, another set of hands can't hurt, right?"

Inuyasha considered this, but he didn't have to like it. He'd seen the way Kouga had looked at Kagome; he wanted her, and Inuyasha had a feeling he was going to try everything in his power to get her, and she'd paved the way for him to do just that by suggesting that he tag along.

He growled, low, warning the wolf, and holding her possessively. His very posture screamed, _she's mine!_ to every male in the vicinity.

Kouga smirked. Kagome had just offered him a golden opportunity, and he wasn't about to waste it.

"She's right mutt-face, _someone_ will have to replace you and that weirdo brother of yours when Naraku kills the pair of you."

Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched.

Kagome reached up and whispered something in his ear, and he slowly smiled, reassured.

"Do what you want, fleabag," he called, turning away, Kagome flush to his side, "but touch my woman, and she says I can kill you."

Kagome looked over her shoulder and met Kouga's eyes, which were wide with surprise. She only smiled and shrugged, then looked forward once more, wrapping an arm around Inuyasha's waist.

_Well,_ he thought, _this might be a little harder than I anticipated. No matter_. He had no intention of giving up. What the mutt didn't see couldn't hurt him, and Kouga knew that words could sometimes be louder than actions in the game of love.

He chuckled to himself as he followed the small group of hunters. He may not be able to convince her to be his mate, but he sure as hell was going to give it a try.

Get ready for some lemony goodness in the next couple chapters, people! Oh yeah! I'm having so much fun writing this, and as I edit this on here, I'm typing in my word processor, trying to finish this bitch, but, oh so much fun! Review dudes, I love y'all!


	5. Chapter 5

Hey, my lovely readers, chapter five is in the house! Woot! lol, a finally got another review, Yay!

Deds:

Nambyl - Thank you for your very encouraging review. Don't worry, I have no intention of leaving this fic unfinished; I will finish it, indefinately! I find it pretty easy to write about Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's relationship, so your fic shouldn't be too difficult to master. Good luck with it, I'll have to check it out!

Disclaimer: If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times! DON'T PULL YER SISTER'S HAIR!

**Every Time We Touch**

Kouga decided to start trying to win Kagome over when they stopped that night to camp. They were still in the canyon, which, he had informed them, used to be a riverbed but was now dry.

Two fires blazed in the dark as Kagome ran back and forth between the two, borrowing Jaken's staff to light her fire because her lighter was empty.

Inuyasha had gone to hunt, and Miroku, Sesshoumaru, and Sango had gone with him. He'd voiced his concern about leaving her behind with Kouga to Kagome, but she'd assured him she would be fine, and would do all in her power to fend him off, including purifying him, if it became necessary.

Satisfied, but still uptight, when they'd left, he'd smacked Kouga's head and said, "Touch her, and I'll have you _fixed_. Got that?"

Kouga just huffed and turned away, making sure Inuyasha saw him sit on the opposite side of the fire from Kagome, who didn't even look at him as he made himself comfortable.

When they'd gone, he remarked, "I don't know how you put up with such an arrogant prick, Kagome. You'd have been much better off with me."

He didn't look up while he said this. Neither did she. Shippo watched the whole scene intensely, and Rin yawned, not at all caught up in the drama, but kind of tired.

Kagome didn't respond, only continued to boil water for Ramen for the children to tide them over until the others brought back meat for roasting.

"Honestly, why are you two so close all of a sudden? I was getting a not-so-cuddly, I-hate-your-guts kind of vibe from you two last time we met. What's the deal?"

Kagome still did not look up.

"A lot happened." She offered nothing more.

He sighed. He was getting nowhere with this line of interrogation. Maybe he should be more subtle.

He was about to get up and re-seat himself next to her when Shippo beat him to it. He glared at the fox-child as the kit deliberately walked to his foster mother and crawled into her lap as if he belonged there, and never broke eye contact with the wolf while he did it.

Kouga growled low, so Kagome couldn't hear, but Shippo couldn't miss it. Shippo only smiled, and crossing his little arms, made himself comfortable. He wasn't leaving his new spot anytime soon.

Kouga got up and walked away, frustrated. That had not gone at all as he'd planned. He'd have to think this through more thoroughly.

He was still pacing an hour later when everyone returned, and after the boar they'd caught was spitted and turning slowly over the fire, a job Sesshoumaru had delegated to Jaken, who bitched and complained loudly, until Shippo assured him that turning the spit guaranteed him first dibs on the pig.

He worked diligently upon hearing this, but Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had exchanged a glance during that conversation that clearly stated _bullshit_.

Kagome and Sango had gathered up their Discmans once again and had gone off to dance, around a bend in the canyon wall. Taking a flaming stick from the already established cooking fire, they started a new one so they could see while they practiced.

Kouga got up soon after, and began to walk away, in the girls' direction, no less.

"Hey!" Inuyasha barked. "Where do you think you're going, wolf?"

Kouga stopped and yelled, "I'm going to take a shit, is that okay with you, mutt-face?"

"It's fine," he yelled back, "as long as you shit away from the women, it's more than fine!"

Snorting, Kouga came back and went in the opposite direction, as everyone watched him.

Sesshoumaru was amused by the fierce competition between the wolf and his brother for the woman's affections; was Kagome that special? He wondered if maybe he should put a dib in on her, just to make things a little more interesting, but decided he'd better not; an angry Inuyasha was the last thing he wanted to deal with.

Miroku, like Sesshoumaru, was also amused, but it was more amusement at Inuyasha's expense, not the situation he found himself in, though that was funny, too.

Inuyasha just didn't like that wolf, and didn't trust him as far as he could throw him. He was up to something, he just knew it, and he'd be damned if he let him get away with it!

Rin sat watching the girls dance, and clapped for a long time when they were done. Kagome and Sango thanked her, then Sango said, "Would you like us to teach you a few steps, Rin?"

"That would be a great idea!" Kagome concurred, and Rin practically screamed, "Yes! Rin wants to learn how to dance, too!"

"Okay," both girls said, and Kagome clipped her Discman to Rin's green obi, and pushed the little headphones into her ears. Turning it on, and adjusting the volume, so Rin could hear her and Sango, she let Rin first listen to the music and begin to move to the beat, getting her used to the noises coming from the tiny buds.

When she was getting into it, Kagome stood and, sharing one of Sango's earphones so she, too, could hear the music, they began to teach Rin to dance.

Two hours later Rin had mastered ten new steps, and Sango and Kagome were impressed. It had taken Kagome a month to learn them, and another month to teach them to Sango before she'd mastered them. The little girl's rapid progress was amazing to both women, and Rin couldn't have been happier.

"Oh, Rin, you're so good," Sango complimented.

"You think so?" she asked.

"Absolutely." Kagome agreed. "It took Sango and I a month each to learn all that, and it only took you two hours. I'd say that's pretty amazing."

Rin smiled; she could do something that Sango and Kagome could do, and it filled her with pride.

She decided not to tell anyone yet how good she was; she'd wait until the right moment to show them her talent.

"Kagome," she said after a moment of thought, "can we put on a little show for the guys? After I learn everything you can teach me?" She hopped up and down, excited.

Both girls laughed. "Sure, Rin," Sango said, and Kagome nodded.

"We'll give them the best night of their lives when we do our _thang_!" Kagome giggled, shaking her hips and bumping Sango's, and Rin said, "Did you just say _thang_?"

Sango clutched her gut, shaking with laughter. "She sure did, Rin," she said, gasping. "She sure did."

After dinner, everyone went to bed. Kouga leaned up against a tree and watched everyone settle in, and Kagome banked the fire for the night before she turned in.

Sesshoumaru sat on a nearby rock, watching the canyon in the darkness beyond, his nose twitching every so often, testing the air for danger.

Kouga had volunteered to watch the other side of the canyon, behind them. He wondered where Inuyasha was; he hadn't seen him for a while. He spotted him high up in a tree, watching Kagome as she washed her face in a basin of cool water.

Getting her hair wet, she flung it back over her head, and both demons and one half-demon took all this in with much interest.

Shaking her wet hair out, Kagome stood, and squirted some toothpaste in her mouth, used her finger to scrub her teeth, and spit it out into the shrubs below the tree Inuyasha was occupying.

Directly after, she crawled into her sleeping bag, zipping it up, but before she got in, she cast a longing glance in Inuyasha's direction.

Both demons' eyes moved to him; he smiled slightly in the firelight, and their eyes returned to the girl, who winked.

When she was quiet, Inuyasha came down from the tree. He walked silently to her, and, scooping her up, sleeping bag and all, he jumped away, up to the top of the cliff and out of sight of anyone still awake.

Sesshoumaru ceased thinking about them as soon as they'd gone, but Kouga could not turn off his thoughts so easily.

He jumped when Sesshoumaru's booted feet appeared in front of him a minute later.

"Are you going to keep watch or are you going to sigh like a love-sick cub all night?"

His penetrating gaze demanded an answer.

Kouga looked away, and brought his knees up to his chin.

"Sorry," he muttered, but Sesshoumaru did not leave. He stared down at the wolf for a long moment before Kouga finally snarled, "What?"

Sesshoumaru smirked. "You are pathetic." He turned and walked away. Kouga frowned. He was _not_ pathetic!

He followed Sesshoumaru back to his rock.

"What do you mean, 'I'm pathetic'?" he asked, angry.

Sesshoumaru did not turn to face him when he spoke.

"I meant what I said, wolf; you are pathetic."

Kouga began to see red. Sesshoumaru continued after a pause, "You are pathetic because you refuse to see what is directly in front of you. You cannot seem to understand that you have lost; you have been defeated. She did not choose you, and like the immature pup you are, you are trying vainly to change her mind."

"So what if I am?" he replied, crossing his arms. "What do you care? I claimed her first, doesn't that count for something? Can you really blame me for trying?"

"Yes, I can," Sesshoumaru snapped, finally turning to look the wolf in the eye, which Kouga had to admit, was a pretty terrifying experience.

"There is no honour in resorting to trickery to gain another's love; you must earn it, and obviously you did not. Can you not hear it?"

Kouga frowned and listened; he didn't hear anything but the soft moans of the wind through the canyon.

"Hear what?" he asked irritably, and Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. The wolf really _was _stupid.

"He makes love to her as we speak; do not tell me you cannot hear her moans, or his growls," Sesshoumaru watched with frustration as Kouga glared up in their general direction, as if this trivial action would make them stop.

"You are no longer an obstacle," Sesshoumaru told him as he re-seated himself on the boulder, "and you will never be again. She has made her choice; the least you could do is respect it."

He was silent after that, and the breeze blew through his long silver hair, making it glint in the light of the crescent moon.

Kouga blinked; Sesshoumaru was right. He looked at the stoic Lord in a new light. _Who knew the old bastard was so wise?  
_

His words didn't make Kouga feel better, but they did spell out what he needed to do, and his heart seemed to die as he thought of leaving her behind forever.

His arms hanging loose and his chin on his chest, Kouga turned back toward his post.

Sesshoumaru stopped him mid-stride with one last piece if advice:

"If you really love her and you truly desire her happiness, you'll let her be."

Kouga nodded silently as he walked away, to think over everything Sesshoumaru had told him, and to mull over what he would do when morning came.

Kagome moaned softly as Inuyasha kissed a trail over her stomach and disappeared between her legs. When he reappeared she was sweaty, hot, and ready for him. She clung to his haori and ripped it off, placing it behind her head as a cushion.

He smiled at her as she kissed him, giving him the green light to push inside of her. He growled loudly as he went further and further, until he had nowhere to go.

As he began to move, she moaned quietly, enjoying him and his warm breath on her neck, mouth and face, their breaths rising in white puffs into the cool night air.

It was freezing, but she was sweating, and he was, too; their combined efforts kept them burning.

When they'd both reached their climax, he lay atop her, panting. She ran a hand through his hair, and held it back off his sweaty forehead. He smiled, and nibbled her neck, then whispered in her ear, "I love you."

She smiled back, a true smile of affection for him. "In the words of Nelly Furtado: _'Promiscuous boy, you already know that I'm all yours; what you waitin' for?' _"

He chuckled, and said, "I haven't heard that song yet."

She laughed, and kissed him. "You will soon enough; you'll definitely like it."

He nuzzled her neck and she rubbed his ears, making him purr, and he wrapped his arms around and under her, holding her tight.

"I love you, Inuyasha, more than you'll ever know," she whispered, and she fell asleep against his smiling face.

Miroku awoke the next morning to the usual round of gas that seemed to plague his butt, and Sango punched him in the head, effectively silencing his behind.

Kagome and Inuyasha returned to the group, his haori wrapped around her head like a towel.

"Have a bath?" Sango asked wistfully, and Kagome smiled. "Yeah, there's a spring at the top of the cliff, up there." She pointed.

"Must've been nice." Sango sniffed her pit. _Yikes!  
_

Kagome smiled dreamily at Inuyasha and replied, "Oh, it was…it _really_ was." She waved to him, and he grinned back.

Sango smiled at her friends, amused. She wished she could have as close a relationship with the monk as Kagome and Inuyasha had with each other, but he was just so damn aggravating…maybe she should try something new on him, she thought, maybe she should try returning his overtures, and feel his butt when he felt hers!

She giggled to herself; it sounded like a plan to her.

"Hey," Kagome said, glancing around for the first time, "where's Kouga?"

Sango herself looked around, but didn't see the wolf anywhere.

"I don't know," she said.

"He is gone."

"Gone? What do you mean, Sesshoumaru? Why is he gone?" Kagome's shrill voice rang out in the quiet of morning.

Sesshoumaru stared calmly back in the face of panic. Had he misjudged her? _Was **she** the two-timer?  
_

"I mean what I said," he sighed, exasperated. "He had some revelations last night and he is gone now. I believe he will return in a matter of days."

"What revelations?" Inuyasha frowned, barging into the conversation and wrapping a supportive arm around Kagome, who turned into him and buried her face in his chest.

"Oh, Inuyasha, we've driven him off, and right when we really could've used his help," she whispered, guiltily.

Kagome felt a platonic vibe when around Kouga; he was like another brother to her, like Miroku was, only not as touchy-feely. Sure, he said he loved her, but unlike Inuyasha, he abandoned her all the time. Not when she was in danger, of course, but he didn't spend as much time wooing her as he would if he truly loved her.

Inuyasha spent almost every waking minute he had with her until she went home, and in turn they had become very close, though he was loath to display his feelings for her publicly. She was fine with this; she believed it was a defence mechanism he'd developed while growing up alone to protect himself and those he loved. She could deal with that as long as she got to experience all he had to give when they were alone together.

He rubbed her back now as she clenched her fists, opening and closing them. She sniffed loudly.

"Well, he'll come back. Kagome, we can get along without his help, you know." Inuyasha almost sounded wounded when he said this, as if he didn't think she believed in him.

She looked up at him and smiled. "I know. I just feel bad, is all."

He kissed her, long and sweet. "Feel better?" he asked.

"Mm-hmm," she murmured, "much better."

Sesshoumaru raised a brow as everyone pretended to look at something else. He noticed the kitsune watching intently, though.

"Well," Miroku said, getting up and rubbing his sore head, "let's blow this popsickle stand, shall we?"

"What did you say?" Jaken asked, and Rin laughed discreetly behind her hand.

"He said let's move," Inuyasha bellowed through a grin, and hugged Kagome tight around her shoulders with his right arm, his left hand, she noticed, resting firmly on Tetsusaiga. _Had he smelled something?_ she wondered.

Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement, kicking dirt over the fire. Grabbing Ah-Un's reins, he led the dragon forward around the bend in the canyon ahead, everyone following silently behind.

Kouga ran. He ran so far that soon he found himself at the coast, watching the waves crash against the shore. He sat down, tired, but numb.

He couldn't believe what Sesshoumaru had told him; he still could not quite grasp Kagome's defection from him - though, if he really thought about it, Sesshoumaru was right. She never really had been his; sure, he'd put in a dib on her, but he knew as well as the next guy that a woman isn't yours until she returns your feelings for her to you. He sighed. Kagome had never told him she loved him. She never kissed him, the way he'd seen her kiss the mutt. He closed his eyes, and imagined he was Inuyasha, kissing Kagome…he shook his head, frowning. It wouldn't come; he couldn't imagine it. He wanted it, but he began to wonder if he wanted the illusion; did he want _what_ Inuyasha had, or _who_ Inuyasha had?

He decided again that Sesshoumaru had been correct, and last night had been the clincher, even though the dog demon had had to point it out to him, for he refused to see it. It had been right in front of him for so long, he realised, they just seemed to belong to each other. Inuyasha and Kagome, Kagome and Inuyasha. No matter which way he looked at it, it was obvious there was no room in her heart for him, and he began to wonder just how long he'd been acting so stupid. It must have been obvious to everyone else but him; even those two idiots, Ginta and Hakkaku, had seen the fool he was making of himself. But he'd refused to listen, and now that it was all clear to him, he felt absolutely miserable.

Pulling his knees up to his chin, he watched the sun rise over the horizon, reflecting off the waves like thousands of tiny orange diamonds, winking at him a happiness he would be a long time in feeling.

When night fell on the group, they'd finally reached the end of the canyon, which had been a sheer drop-off where a waterfall had once flowed. Sesshoumaru had flown down to check it out, but was back a moment later; there was no way down.

Looking around, Rin had spotted a path up the canyon face around them, cut from the rock by the water that had once flowed by.

"Lord, Sesshoumaru, look there!" she cried, pointing to the wall. Everyone turned to look, and a round of smiles broke out. Kagome mussed Rin's hair and said, "Good eye, Rin."

Rin smiled in return. Praise from Kagome felt almost as good as praise from Sesshoumaru. She glanced at him, and was happy to find a small, indulgent expression on his pale face.

They moved as a group to the path, for it was dark and the climb would be treacherous.

Lighting a torch, Miroku grasped Sango's hand, and she blushed before turning her attention the task at hand.

Sesshoumaru led the way, lifting Rin onto Ah-Un's saddle and looking for Jaken, who stood at his feet. He could see in the dark, so he automatically took the lead so the humans could concentrate on where they stepped instead of where they were going, for he would lead them safely.

Inuyasha picked Kagome up on his back, and she rested her chin on his shoulder, her hair tickling his sensitive ears. He smiled; she was _soo_ his tonight!

It was a slow, daunting trek up the cliff. Miroku, who brought up the rear with Sango and the torch, Shippo clinging to his arm and Kirara on her back, swore as the torch began to sputter and die.

"Damn it!"

Inuyasha looked back, past a sleeping Kagome.

"That's not very pious language, for a monk." he remarked, and shifted Kagome. His arms were falling asleep.

"I'm sorry, but the torch is done, Inuyasha, which means Sango and I can't see back here. I can't even make out Sesshoumaru's white shirt in this blackness."

Just then the torch went out completely. Sango unconsciously clung tighter to Miroku's arm, bringing a small smile to his lips that she'd never see in this dark lest she slap it from his face.

There was a rustling ahead, and a grunt. A groan followed from who Miroku assumed was a still-sleeping Kagome, and suddenly he felt something heavy, long, and cool in his hand.

"Here," Inuyasha said from right in front of him. Sango jumped.

Miroku felt around and found something soft; he pushed it. A beam of white light shone into Inuyasha's eyes, and he blinked, brought a hand to shield his eyes, and yelled, "Damn it, Miroku! Shine it right in my damn eyes why don't you? For crying out loud!"

Miroku giggled, but swung the beam away, saying, "Oops, _so_ sorry Inuyasha, I didn't see you there!"

Inuyasha growled. "Your senses aren't so bad that you didn't already know I was there, you dumbass," he turned and walked away, picking up Kagome and her bag, which was still strapped to her back. She mumbled something when he picked her up, and Miroku and Sango watched as he ran a hand through her bangs and murmured for her to go back to sleep, nothing was happening.

Sango smiled up at him, and he winked at her. They continued to follow the pair ahead of them until they reached the top of the cliff, Shippo snoring contentedly from his perch on Miroku's shoulder.

Well, that's chapter five. Was there lemony goodness? I don't remember! Oh well, there will be...sometime. Don't lose hope, it'll come! Don't forget to review before you leave, angels!


	6. Chapter 6

Hey people, quick update, ne? Hahaha!

Deds:

Water Kunoichi - I like your character's description very much, and I think I will use her, with your blessing of course! (wink) Do you mind if I tweak her personality a bit? Sessy's not gonna know what hit him, muahahaha! (By the way, I think I'm going to try and sketch your character, see how she turns out; I have already done concepts for Sessy's mommy, and they turned out really well, but, unfortunately, until someone buys me a scanner, no one but I will see them...sigh!)

Disclaimer: Sticks and stones may hurt people's phones, but lawyers can kiss my ass.

**Every Time We Touch**

When they scaled the crest of the cliff, the sun began to rise. In the early morning light, they could look back and see how far they'd come. They decided to camp out that day and head out again the next morning, for everyone was tired from walking all night.

Sesshoumaru sat against a tree and felt his eyes begin to droop. Kagome walked by, saying something about food. His gut growled; it was hungry, too. He decided sleep could wait.

Inuyasha had crashed on Kagome's rolled out sleeping bag, snoring loudly as he clutched one of her sweaters to his face. Shippo rested on his backside, rising and falling as the hanyou breathed.

Sango and Miroku had rolled out her sleeping bag and she lay on her stomach, using her folded arms as a pillow, while the monk, he noted with interest, was using her behind as a pillow, and so far, had refrained from palpating it with his 'lecherous hands.'

Kagome started a fire, and poked it with a stick, stoking it into life. He watched silently.

He had told Kouga many things the other night, and he wondered if the wolf had made any decisions about what he was going to do now that Sesshoumaru had pointed out the obvious to him.

_He'll probably never come back to help us_, he thought, suddenly seeing what it was the wolf saw in the woman before him as he wached her stretch her cramped muscles languidly, in an elegant move, her arms seeming to flow effortlessly as she grunted from the strain.

Something in him clicked, and he felt his blood begin to rush through his veins, all of it heading south with abandon.

_Oh no, not me too_, he thought, groaning inwardly as he began to throb just watching her.

What the hell was happening to him? Hadn't he just told Kouga the other night that his affections were one-sided and ridiculously obvious? He mentally smacked himself now as he suffered from his reaction to the woman in stoic silence. He had dispensed some very good advice that night; why then, was he now finding it so difficult to heed his own words?

He vowed to himself that no matter how infatuated he grew with the girl, no one would ever know about it. Not even her.

He shifted quietly, and she turned her head in his direction.

_Shit._

She smiled, and he only stared, trying to intimidate her into looking away, but she didn't; instead she got up and came over, plopping herself next to him and propping her chin up with her left hand.

He eyed her suspiciously, but when she remained silent, he looked ahead, waiting for her to speak.

He knew she would; she could barely keep quiet in the face of the enemy. How she was managing to keep her mouth shut now when she was so obviously bursting to tell him something was a wonder to him.

"Sesshoumaru," she said breathlessly, and he turned his head.

"What?" he asked, trying to cover up his _excitement_ by acting bored.

Her face became serious, and he really began to wonder just what was on her mind.

She lowered her eyes and said, "Do you hate me?"

His eyes widened a fraction. _If only she knew!_

He took his time responding. "No," he finally replied, but continued, "I do not hate you. Why do you ask?"

"I just wondered, because you said you hated Inuyasha, but you two have been getting along so well that I thought maybe you'd changed your mind about humans."

He looked her in the eye now. "I do hate humans," he said, quietly, "but not all humans. I hate no one in this group; I am only tolerating Inuyasha now because it is much easier than fighting him every step of the way. We made our terms clear to each other, and as long we follow them, there will be no problems."

She looked up at him, and said, "Oh. I see. So you still don't like him."

He was looking into her eyes, and leaning into her as he began to drown in her chocolate brown depths, and she was doing the same, swimming in his polished gold orbs, blinking at her in the sunlight like gems, calling to her…

He took her chin in his clawed fingers and tilted her head up further, so she could feel his breath on her lips, which she licked slowly, intoxicating him as he watched, his eyes hooded with lust.

Finally he leaned down all the way, meeting her lips in a sweet, lingering kiss. He deepened it after she did not pull away, and began to explore her mouth with abandon. _He's done this before_, she thought, before shutting off her thoughts and enjoying what he had to teach her.

Sesshoumaru was lost in bittersweet memory as he kissed her, her lips so warm and inviting, _just as hers had always been_. He brought his other hand to work its way through Kagome's silky hair as he remembered.

He remembered the day he met her for the second time in his young life; his Father had brought her in from the East, where she'd been living until her parents were killed. He had only been two hundred years old at the time, about the same age Inuyasha was now, he reflected, as the memory continued to flow through his mind.

He'd been walking to the dining hall in his Father's palace when he'd seen a white streak from the corner of his eye, and he whirled to face what he thought was an enemy in his own home, growling and summoning the green poison whip to his clawed hand.

"Sesshoumaru, simmer down, don't get your knickers in a twist. You don't want to kill your Father's new ward before we even get reacquainted, do you?"

Her voice had been the sweetest he'd ever heard, and, like it had done just moments before this memory, all his blood rushed south, hardening him before he'd even laid eyes on her, for she managed to remain just out of his sight as he rapidly turned his head.

Finally, she stopped moving, right before him, and he got his first good look at her.

"Who are you?" he asked without emotion, as his Mother had taught him.

She laughed again. "Don't you remember? We used to play together as children when our Fathers would visit each other's lands. No? Well, it has been a very long time…though I still haven't forgotten you..."

He racked his memory, and he vaguely remembered this female, from so long ago, only she had been scraggly and skinny then, nothing like the beautiful demoness standing before him now.

He narrowed his eyes. "Ai? Is that you?"

She smiled, a very seductive smile, and he could feel his blood thumping in his temple.

"Very good, you remember. I had a feeling you would." She turned and headed down the hall ahead of him, giving him a prime view of her behind.

Sesshoumaru closed his mouth almost as soon as it dropped open, and his Father appeared behind him, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"She's a spitfire, isn't she?" he rumbled, laughing at his son's reaction to his childhood play-mate.

"It's a shame about her family, but she'll recover, now that I've taken her in. We can't have the heir to the Eastern lands killed before she even gets her chance to rule, now can we?"

He shook Sesshoumaru, for he remained silent.

Sesshoumaru blinked, and replied, "No. What happened to her family?"

"Attacked. It was quick, thank goodness, I'd hate to think of my old friend suffering. Regardless, I'm putting her in your care. Wherever you go now, she will follow. She was just beginning her training as ruler, as you are, and you will both continue your education together. While she is learning, I will take the Eastern lands under my rule. When she is ready, it will be hers."

Sesshoumaru only nodded, and at his Father's gentle push, followed Ai into the dining hall.

Inu no Taisho smiled. He knew an infatuation when he saw one, and his son was definitely in love with Ai, the beautiful Inu demoness, heir to the Eastern lands. He thought they would make a smart match; not only were they falling for each other, but they could join their lands upon their union, increasing their power and holdings.

_Yes_, he thought, _You just need a little push, my son_.

Two days after, Sesshoumaru awoke to two slanted gold eyes staring into his. He jumped; no one but his Mother dared come into his room this early, lest they lose their head, for he was not a morning person. He growled.

Ai giggled. "Wake up, handsome. It's time to train!" She bounced off his bed and sashayed to the door, looking over her shoulder.

"Well, hurry up! I want to see you in action," she purred, and once again all his blood rushed southward, and he frowned in frustration.

When she had gone he dressed, thinking, _I will have you, Ai, whether you want it or not. I will wipe that smirk from your beautiful face._

Sesshoumaru took his time getting to the dojo. His sensei frowned at his tardiness, but Sesshoumaru cared not; who was the heir here, anyway? Sensei would say nothing if he were smart.

They began the lesson in silence. Sesshoumaru and sensei bowed, then began ruthlessly attacking each other as Ai watched.

Finally, sensei pinned Sesshoumaru and he had to admit defeat. Ai smiled; it was her turn now.

Sesshoumaru sat down as Ai and sensei faced off. He was shocked when in only three moves Ai had pinned sensei to the floor, unable to move!

She laughed, and apologized to sensei, who bowed and praised her.

"Who taught you to move so quickly? Your speed rivals Master Sesshoumaru's!"

She grinned. "It's a secret. My old sensei would roll over in his grave if I told you who he was!"

Sesshoumaru frowned. Sensei put an arm around her and they walked away, deep in conversation about technique and speed, completely ignoring him. He fumed.

She was up to something, he just knew it. What, he couldn't be sure, but the signs were there. He just had to figure her out before she could plan her next stint to embarrass him.

Ai looked over her shoulder, at a pouting Sesshoumaru. _Yes!_ she thought, _he's angry now, and suspicious. It will be so much sweeter when he discovers all that I have to give him, not to mention what I have to teach him! No dog makes fun of me and gets away with it!  
_

She was thinking of the last time she and Sesshoumaru had seen each other, when he had played a terrible prank on her. He had always teased her for being ugly and scrawny, but she had loved him anyway, for she had fallen for his pretty face. He had thought up a simple plan so that when his family left that last time, he'd somehow managed to slice the back of her shirt, so that after he pulled away from their hug - which she had thought at the time to be a lot more friendly of him than she was used to - it had fallen away, revealing to everyone who'd turned out to bid Inu no Taisho and his family farewell just what she had under her shirt, which to her embarrassment, wasn't much, for she had yet to grow into the figure she possessed now.

She seethed inwardly just recalling the memory. She would have her revenge, and it would be sweet. What she didn't count on was that face, that face that she hated but had fallen in love with, the face that she dreamed of every night, hovering over hers and whispering sweet words of love.

After training, both demons made their way to the classroom, where Sesshoumaru was learning how to write kanji, history, geography, and music.

He despised his geography teacher, and did nothing the entire class but pick his nails and make faces at Ai while she tried to concentrate. He made a disgusted face at her when the teacher praised her work on a map he had given her to label.

Smirking at Sesshoumaru, she continued to show him up in every subject, until by the end of the day he was livid with jealousy. He ran into his Father after his last class, and Inu no Taisho, seeing the look on his son's face, flattened himself against the wall as Sesshoumaru blew past, grumbling and muttering about, "That bitch..."

Ai followed him out, and ran after him, calling his name.

"Sesshoumaru!" Inu no Taisho winked at her on her way past, and she smiled.

He whirled on her when she approached, his hair and fur flying.

"What? Are you not satisfied with yourself? Have you come to rub my nose in your perfection a little more? If you have, I will not stand for it, I'll -" he stopped mid-sentence as she grabbed his face and kissed him, slow at first, then harder and more passionately as he began to melt into her embrace, and he brought both hands through her silky white hair, as fine and shiny as his own, only hers smelled of jasmine and lavender, like his Mother's did.

When they broke for air, she licked his chin, a sign of submission among Inu demons and whispered, "Feel better now?"

He wiped his lip and gasped for air, gripping her upper arms tightly. Nodding, he went back for more, which she only too willingly gave him.

Sesshoumaru wondered how he had gotten along this far in life without this woman; had his heart loved till now? His gut contracted at the thought of her rejecting him, or losing her…it hit him harder than if he'd walked into the hardest tree in the forest. He loved Ai, he always had; he'd made fun of her as a young boy to cover up his attraction to her, and he kicked himself for it. She was heaven in his arms, and he was loath to let her go.

Ai was drowning in him, in his warmth, in his fervour as he ravaged her lips…this had started out as a vendetta against him, but her heart had betrayed her and her former feelings of attraction had spilled forth, for all her showing him up today had made her feel terrible and she wanted so desperately to make it up to him, felt so bad for showing off. Her hands travelled over his chest and committed his shape to memory as she allowed him to take her lips with an abandon that left them both breathless.

Soon, he began to hesitate, as if he didn't know where to go after kissing her. She knew that he knew how to mate; that was an instinct inherent to all Inu demons; the inner demon took over when the time came and knew what to do, but she could tell from his hesitation that he'd never gone this far with a female before.

He stopped kissing her, and looked into her eyes, expecting to see laughter there, ridicule, and something akin to pity in her golden depths, but what he found there was none of those things; what he saw when he looked into those beautiful orbs was understanding, and a knowledge he never would have guessed she possessed. Was she willing to teach him all that she knew?

He supposed that he shouldn't be surprised, for she was a century or two older than he, and therefore, being as beautiful as she was, had racked up much more experience when it came to intimacy.

He almost felt childish compared to her; he had never been with a woman. Oh, he knew they found him attractive, and he them, but his Father had kept him on such a tight schedule that he barely had time to sleep, his day was so busy. He supposed there was a reason for that; he was of the age now where it was harder than ever to curb his lust, and if his Father didn't keep him on such a short leash, there would probably be little Sesshoumaru's running around all over the Western Province by now, trying to claim the throne.

Although his Father had had his best interests at heart, it had robbed him of accumulating all the experience he might have if his day had been less full.

Ai, on the other hand, had not only been a fast learner, and had finished her training long ago, but had attended many social functions and parties in her home province, and had been with many male demons in her time. She only humoured Inu no Taisho's demand that she train with Sesshoumaru for she knew that he, too, had an ulterior motive for taking her in after her parent's deaths. She had been devastated, but when he had come for her, all her fears had melted away, for she knew he would give her all she needed in order to rule her province with a fair hand. She eagerly soaked up everything he had to tell her, and would gladly relearn all her lessons again if it meant staying with him and Sesshoumaru until she was of age to rule.

She just wished that her heart wasn't so traitorous.

"Ai, I-"

"Shh, Sesshoumaru. I know you are nervous, and I understand, but be warned; when we are through, you will never be afraid of a woman again."

She stroked his jaw, and licked his chin again, and he was undone. Carrying her in his arms, he headed to his room, looking forward to everything she had to teach him in the art of making love.

Sesshoumaru did not feel Kagome's hands grab his own and shake them as he sought his way inside her shirt; nor did he hear her call his name, desperate for him to stop. He did, however, feel the pinch on the hand she inflicted after her third attempt to capture his attention.

Both looked over sharply when Inuyasha moaned in his sleep, and rolled over, facing away from them. Both sighed in relief.

"I'm sorry, Kagome," Sesshoumaru whispered, and stood. She was quiet, wondering how long it had been for him.

"It's okay," she replied, her bangs hiding her eyes, "I understand. I'm sorry, too."

He nodded curtly, and walked away.

When he returned with a leg of deer, she silently skinned, dressed, and spitted the meat over the fire, occasionally rotating it over the flames. The silence between woman and demon was awkward, but not stifling.

Finally, Kagome looked Sesshoumaru in the eye and said, "How long has it been for you, Sesshoumaru? I could tell your mind was elsewhere when we…" she trailed off, but he knew what she was trying to say.

He didn't respond right away; he contemplated telling her at all. He also remembered his failed vow to himself, and figured it was pointless to keep up his charade.

"Four hundred years."

She gasped. "Wow," she said, her eyes wide, "that's a long time. No wonder you were so eager."

He looked at her from under his brows. She thought him eager? He wondered just what Ai had thought when they made love for the first time; he recalled he was more than just impatient, and she'd had a difficult time showing him that slow and sensual wins the lady.

He grunted, and she smiled. "I really am sorry," she whispered, and got up to reseat herself next to the snoozing hanyou, and began stroking his silver ears.

"For everything."

He barely heard her, but her voice had registered in his ears, nonetheless. He felt a small wave of disappointment as she lavished attention on his unconscious brother, as if doing so would make up for what she'd done while he was sleeping.

I'm quickly catching up to myself here, people! So if updates are a few days apart, please forgive me, I'm writing as fast as I can, thanks to Kunoichi's great character idea, thanks again! I'll try to do you proud! Oh, and don't forget - REVIEW!


	7. Chapter 7

Hey, my faithful readers! It's another day, and another chapter! Yippee! I absolutely _love_ how this story is turning out, and I have no one but Water Kunoichi to thank! Oh, and everyone who reviews, I love you guys!

Deds:

**Water Kunoichi** - I have finished my first sketch of your character; man, I love it! It turned out so good! Makes me want to highjack a scanner and send it to you! Couldn't have gotten as far as I have without ya, thanks!

**BoundxByxDeath** - Well, at first, I didn't think you liked where I was going with this, but I guess you'll come around! Don't worry, this is an InuxKag fic, ppl, do not, I repeat, DO NOT think Sesshy's gonna get anywhere with her! ( I know my ppl have been a bit out of character, I'm sorry about that.)

**Das Moen** - No one's ever told me I update too fast...is that bad?

Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah, sue me if you must. I got five bucks. Take me to town.

**Every Time We Touch**

Kagome felt terrible.

She dreaded what would happen if Inuyasha knew what had just transpired between Sesshoumaru and herself. She knew the right thing would be to confess right away and apologize, and hope he could forgive her.

Her thoughts wandered as she thought of how angry she'd been every time he'd wandered off with Kikyou; two wrongs didn't make a right, and she hated herself for letting Sesshoumaru's eyes entrance her as they did. She thought maybe because they were so similar to Inuyasha's…no, she couldn't delude herself.

She'd made a terrible mistake, and even though she had felt something when Sesshoumaru had kissed her, she knew it was not the same thing she felt for Inuyasha. The lust had been strong, but there had been no **love**._ Besides_, she thought, _his mind was so far away, he must have been thinking about someone else_.

This thought more than anything comforted her as she played with Inuyasha's ears, and sighed mournfully, knowing that, whether she liked it or not, she would confess her sin to her man as soon as he awoke, even if it killed her.

She wasn't looking forward to it at all.

Sesshoumaru thought back to his own opinion on cheaters: now he could lump himself into that category, too. Although, Kagome hadn't _really_ cheated…yet.

He knew she'd likely tell Inuyasha the truth about what happened, even though he was of the opinion that what Inuyasha didn't know didn't hurt him; after all, he _was_ an idiot, and really didn't know much anyway…he sighed. How did his brother manage to have so many women fighting over him?

He thought of Kagura, and her flattery toward him, especially when she wanted something. He found her attractive, and quite witty; her tongue matched the sharpness of his own, but she was Naraku's kept woman, and he refused to have anything to do with that abomination of a half-demon. Maybe if Kagura were on her own…

No. She'd asked him to kill Naraku for her already, and he'd refused her. Her comments about his manliness were still a sore spot, but he preferred not to think of it. If Kagura survived Naraku's death, being a part of him herself, he thought maybe, just maybe, he'd claim her for his own, but he didn't think he was that desperate. He'd been on his own for four hundred years, until Jaken and Rin had come along, anyway. His only lover, Ai, was long in the past, though as far as he knew, she still lived, with her husband and three sons, in the Eastern Province.

He sighed again.

He'd had the perfect opportunity to claim Ai, but in the end had chosen a different path, the path of Supreme Conquest, which would ultimately lead to a battle between him and his Father, but unfortunately for Sesshoumaru, that never came to pass, kind of like his love life. It had been wonderful for a while, but all good things must come to an end, and his relationship with Ai had certainly ended quickly. He squashed the memories before they could resurface.

Looking at Kagome's forlorn expression as she massaged Inuyasha's head, he thought maybe he could do the girl a favour, by pretending to come on to her…maybe it would spur Inuyasha to make their union official. He looked at his clawed hands and frowned. What was he thinking? He didn't _help_ people! He _controlled_ them! Standing, he walked off, to lie down and sleep. He had a lot to think about.

Inuyasha could finally take no more; the constant petting was making him itch for his woman, warm and ready beneath him, and he opened his eyes expecting to see readiness in her eyes, but he frowned when all he saw was sorrow in her deep brown orbs, which were moist with unshed tears.

Kagome thought again, desperately, about not telling him, but her heart screamed _No! Tell him, or you'll never be able to forgive yourself!  
_

She took a deep breath and looked him in the eye, her heart swelling with more love than Sesshoumaru could possibly inspire. She opened her mouth but found it blocked by his as he licked her teeth, asking entrance, which she hesitantly gave.

_He's not going to want to kiss me ever again if I tell him!_ She thought frantically, allowing him to sweep her along into the moment, his arm snaking around her back to support her weight as he leaned over her, tasting her, experiencing her, loving her.

Bringing a hand up to his face, she traced his jaw with her thumb, then moved her mouth to kiss his eye, then his nose, the corner of his mouth, and lastly, she brought his fingers to her lips.

He hooded his yellow eyes as he watched her slowly suck each clawed finger, the firelight reflecting in her eyes when she looked to him, and he growled low, urging her to continue.

Reaching for his other hand, Kagome forgot all about Sesshoumaru and what had happened between them as she licked the rest of Inuyasha's fingers, her eyes straying occasionally to the ever-growing bulge in his hakama.

Barely restraining himself, Inuyasha took a look around them; everyone was sleeping, even Sesshoumaru. His elder brother's back was to them, and his chest rose and fell rhythmically, indicating an undisturbed slumber. He knew they'd have to be quiet, but Inuyasha thought they could get away with making love here, as long as he covered them up and they didn't make any noise. He was too caught up in his woman's attention to move her away now.

Kagome untied the knot at his waist and tugged his haori loose, throwing it over her head as she began to work on his under-kimono, which put up little resistance to her efforts, and was soon gone, as well.

While she undressed him, Inuyasha reached for her waist and lifted her up, pulling the spread out sleeping bag from underneath them. Zipping it up around them, he created a tight little cocoon for them, and he lie on the bottom, her body moulded to his by gravity.

Reaching down, he gripped her sailor shirt and yanked it over her head, revealing a pink and blue striped bra, with lace along the edges. It tickled his chest, and within half a minute, he had divested her of it, flinging it on top of his own discarded clothing.

He revelled in the feel of her bare chest against his, and his blood began to pound in his temples, and soon all of it rushed down, to where he'd need it most.

Kagome kissed his nose, and rubbed her hands up and down his chest, hoping to God she'd never forget his shape, his hard planes, and his firm muscles rippling beneath his taut white skin, smooth and hairless to her touch. She wondered absently if hairlessness was an Inu-demon trait, but soon forgot the thought when she felt him draw his claws slowly over her bare back, making her shudder with the pure sexual sensation he was causing within her.

She reached down to remove his hakama, and he kicked them off when she got them past his knees. While she did this, he lifted her skirt up and tucked it between them, so it would ride up and stay out of the way. He drew a clawed finger down her thigh, and she almost moaned aloud, but he planted his mouth on hers, silencing her.

Sliding up and over her rear, he gripped her thong and, giving a sharp tug, ripped it off her, tucking it beneath his own rear so she could find it later.

Her hands dove between them, to remove his fundoshi, which, luckily, he had sloppily tied on last night. It came undone with no trouble, and she brought her arm up to toss it out but he smiled and shook his head; she tucked it under him next to her own underwear.

Finally undressed, he took her mouth and sucked her lip, stroking her back, rear, and finally, her breasts with both hands, noting the increase in the temperature of her skin as he did so. A faint scent wafted up from between them; he knew this scent, and knew it well. She was in heat, and it damn near drove him over the edge before he'd even gotten himself inside her.

Slowly, Kagome felt him rising beneath her, and she gently ground her hips against him, tucking her arms underneath his head to cushion him as his hands played havoc with her sensitive skin. She nuzzled his neck, and whispered, "Can I mark you, Inuyasha?"

He opened his eyes wide. A female's mark proved her loyalty to one mate, but a male's mark made the union official. He wondered if she knew that.

In the demon world, for half-demons, there were no mating ceremonies; most hanyous didn't reach sexual maturity, let alone adulthood, so there was no set rule for serious relationships. He knew that if Sesshoumaru were to claim a mate, however, he would have a big to-do and the mating would have to be witnessed, which made him envy his brother not at all.

"Yes," he murmured huskily, gripping her shoulders and lifting her up so he could see her face, which was glowing with perspiration, and a tinge of pink flushed her cheeks, and he felt a sudden moistness from her; she was ready.

"How?" she whispered, licking his chin, submitting herself completely unto him.

His heart rate increased; she made him so hot, and he felt his heart swell with complete love for her. It almost made him wonder what he'd ever seen in Kikyou.

"You have to bite me."

She blinked. She wasn't surprised; she had anticipated that he would say that.

She licked the spot on his neck where his shoulder met his jugular, and he growled with pleasure.

"Here?"

His hands came up out of the sleeping bag and gripped her head through her hair, knotting it around his fists. She could tell he was about to burst, so she reached down with one arm, using only her other arm to cushion his head now, and gripped him tightly between her fingers, and, tilting him, guided him into her, shifting her position so he slid inside with no trouble.

Replacing her arm, she began to move, and un-knotting a fist from her ebony tresses, he gripped her rear, his claws leaving light dents in her smooth skin as he helped her, gradually moving her faster and faster around him.

When he was about to climax, he shoved her face to his neck and bit out, "Now!" as she sunk her teeth into his tendons, drawing blood. One hand remained in her hair; when she came seconds later, about to scream in ecstasy, he brought her mouth to his, and kissed her deep, tasting his own blood on her lips.

Shuddering, she moved her hands under him to his back, and dug her nails in, leaving red scratches all over his white flesh.

Pumping her hard a few more times, he felt her inner muscles contract around him, and a second burst issued from him, and as he bit his lip in pure pleasure, Kagome gently sucking the blood away from it, licking it from his sharp fangs.

Exhausted, she lay atop him, panting, a licking the blood from the wound she'd inflicted on his neck. He absently brought a finger up to trace her scar, the shape on her skin as unique as his teeth themselves.

Tilting her chin, her eyes heavy, he whispered, "Look at me, Kagome."

When she did, memory hit her like a brick in the face, and all she could think of were Sesshoumaru's circular irises, and wished to whatever God was listening that they had been Inuyasha's oblong amber eyes and not the demon Lord's.

Before she could utter her thoughts, he spoke first.

"Do you know what you've done?" he asked, and she froze; _had he seen? Did he really know what she had done?_

She opted for a tilt of her head as an answer, and decided another lick under his chin might improve his reaction. She hoped to God, anyway.

He began to smile at her. "You've made us official, Kagome."

"I have?"

"Yeah," he said, running a thumb along her cheekbone, and traced an eyebrow in his wake. "Dog demons, well, half-demons," he corrected, blinking, "don't usually live long enough to claim a mate, and when a male marks a female, it solidifies their relationship, like an engagement, I guess. But when the female marks the male in return, it seals the deal."

Kagome thought fast. "Like marriage?"

He smiled languidly, happy. "Yeah," he replied, folding a leg over both of hers inside the sleeping bag, "just like marriage."

He kissed her then, long and deep, and when he released her for air, he buried his face in her neck, and, licking her mark fervently, whispered, "I love you, Kagome. I've never said that to anyone, not even Kikyou…not even to my Mother."

Kagome doubted this last, but was loath to ruin the moment by pointing it out.

"Mmmm," she purred, taking a fuzzy ear between her teeth, tugging gently, she brought one of his hands to rest over her breast - and her heart - and she replied, "Inuyasha, I love you more than life itself. I would give up everything I've ever worked for if it meant I could be with you forever."

He looked at her. "Really?" he whispered, as if he couldn't believe her words.

She smiled and licked his chin, long and slow, staring into his golden eyes once more, and replied,

"Oh yes, my dog-eared lover. There is nothing in this entire universe that could keep me away from you."

He threw his arms around her neck and kissed her, and she returned his kisses until she was too tired to keep her eyes open. She fell asleep on his warm chest, to the sound of his breathing, her legs tangled in his, completely content, having completely forgotten what it was she had been about to tell him.

Well, shorter than the rest, but hey, I gotta pace myself, I was updating more and faster that I could keep up with, but, hehehe, not anymore! Hahaha! Review, babes, I love to hear from you!


	8. Chapter 8

Hey, my faithful three readers have demanded a new chappie, so here it is, fresh from my mind to your eyes!

Deds: BoundxByxDeath, Das Moen, and Water Kunoichi, you guys are great, I love ya's! Your reviews make me want to finish this behemoth even faster than I'm able! Keep 'em coming, it inspires me!

Disclaimer: Don't like me, lawyers? Then sue me! Oh, that's it! My cheerios are soggy now, you're _sooo_ gonna pay!

**Every Time We Touch**

Sango rolled over; something was burning. Looking up, she saw a blackened deer thigh hanging over the fire, inches from the flames, and smoking profusely.

She wondered for only a second why none of the demons had smelled it, but the wind was not in their direction, and they were all asleep. She rotated the meat and inspected it closely. Only the top few layers of meat were burned; the thigh was salvageable.

She sat down to keep an eye on it, now that she'd been scared awake and was no longer tired.

Miroku hadn't even awoken when she'd thrown him off; in fact her butt was still numb, and she wondered just how it had come to feel that way, casting a dangerous glance in the monk's direction, which only resulted in a snore from the man so loud it choked him and he coughed, but still didn't wake up. Sango reached over and poked him with a finger, but received no response.

Looking around, she noticed a giant bump in Kagome's sleeping bag. Both of them must be inside, she thought, and smiled, but then frowned when she thought of them doing it not three feet away from her head.

_Eww_, she thought, and snapped her head around when she heard a twig snap.

Her face was a mask of terror as she spotted slanted, glowing red eyes in the bushes to her right, and she grabbed Miroku's thigh in fear, digging her nails into his muscle frantically, her voice abandoning her.

A loud, manic howl was released from the demon, and in the next instant, every single person in that clearing was awake, and all the women were shaking in fear.

Kouga, his eyes red, and filled with lust, lifted his nose to the air; he smelled a female in heat, and his demon had taken over.

A few hours earlier, he'd been sitting on the coast feeling sorry for himself, when he'd decided to return to the group and put his feelings for Kagome aside, and concentrate on helping them find and kill Naraku.

When he had gotten within a mile of them, a scent had hit his nose like a lead bullet, and his eyes had glazed over, his claws lengthened, and his eyeteeth grew; his demon demanded he find the female - _now_.

Sesshoumaru stood and drew Tokijin. The wolf was not himself, and, sniffing the air, he immediately knew why. His own eyes flickered red, but unlike Kouga, he had some semblance of control over his demon, which he kept in check…for now.

Sango clutched Hiraikotsu in a panic. Kouga was their friend, _why was he acting this_ way  
Miroku reached for his staff and tucked a hand inside his robes, seeking a strong spell scroll in case binding the wolf became necessary.

Shippo and Rin hugged each other in fear atop Ah-Un, who lumbered to its feet and moved the children slowly away from the adults, for their own safety, should the demon males come to blows; it, too, smelled a ready female, but being as she was not an animal youkai, it had no interest in her whatsoever.

Jaken stood next to his Lord, and was almost appalled when he witnessed the indecision in his Master's flickering irises, for Sesshoumaru was vainly trying to contain his own demon while he protected everyone from another demon, whom they knew and trusted, but were now wary of.

Inuyasha glanced from his brother to his archrival in love, and knew in an instant what was wrong with them. He clutched Kagome to him tightly as he reached for his haori, and, unzipping the sleeping bag slowly, told her to wear it, and get away as fast as she could.

Kagome, panicking, whispered, "I won't leave you," and he smiled, but pushed her toward Sango and Miroku, saying, "Yes, you will. Don't worry about me."

Sango grabbed Kagome's hand, understanding dawning on her as she watched the scene before her. Kagome must be in heat, she thought, to attract all these male's inner demons to make themselves known.

Miroku had instinctively assumed that this was the case when he'd awoken, but did not bother to ask Inuyasha and confirm his suspicions, he only steered the women away and summoned Kirara to transform, bringing up the rear.

Kagome, Sango, and Miroku all climbed atop the firecat and took to the skies, Kouga's howl following their exodus.

Kagome's shuddered. She was afraid; she was shaking in her fear. She'd left her bow and arrows behind, again. So she had nothing to defend herself, should any of the demons in the clearing come after her.

Sango could feel her friend shaking, and said, "It's okay, Kagome, we won't let them have you."

She looked over her shoulder and gave Sango a shaky smile, and whispered, "Thanks, you guys."

Inuyasha pulled Tetsusaiga from its sheath and held it before him, in Kouga's direction. The wolf was suffering from acute lust, and Inuyasha could sympathise; Kagome's scent drove him wild, too, but he wasn't about to let anyone else touch a hair on her head; she belonged to him now, and that was that.

Sesshoumaru's flashing eyes darted between Inuyasha and Kouga; he was wrestling with his demon, trying to decide whom he should kill first, before going after the girl. His eyes remained red with this thought, and Jaken, his own eyes opening wide, knew his Master had let the demon take over; there would be no going back, now.

Kouga had one thought and one thought only: _mate_. But now that said female was gone, he howled his frustration, and made to follow her, but was blocked by two white-haired men that he vaguely remembered from yesterday. One was missing his armour and the other only wore red hakama, and nothing else. He growled at them, his intentions clear. If they didn't move out of his way, he would remove them forcefully.

Kouga began to circle Inuyasha, who glared and said, "Get lost wolf, she's mine, I claimed her, and she claimed me. You have no stake on her anymore."

Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed to Inuyasha when he said this. _He'd claimed her? And she him?_ _No_, he thought, remembering that he'd been thinking of that very topic before falling asleep a while ago.

Oddly, the thought of her being out of his reach outraged him, and he growled out loud, baring his teeth at his little brother.

He remembered suddenly about what had transpired between he and the girl before he'd fallen asleep, and his bared teeth disappeared behind a smile as he faced Inuyasha.

"She is very special, Inuyasha," he drawled, moving to side with Kouga, who eyed him warily for only a moment before returning his gaze to the hanyou, "can you really blame us for wanting her? By the way," he chuckled, knowing how much Inuyasha would hate him for what he was about to say to him, "she's an _excellent_ kisser, your Kagome. I was most impressed with her."

Inuyasha lost it, he ran at them both and screamed, "Wind Scar!" knowing full well that in his rage he would likely miss them, which he did, for after the dust cleared, both came striding back, unharmed.

Inuyasha was in a mental turmoil. _Had Kagome really kissed Sesshoumaru?_ He remembered the tears in her eyes when he'd awoken. She had looked so guilty, now that he thought about it…but guilt indicated regret, and he made a mental note to ask her about Sesshoumaru's claim later.

"You two just can't take a hint, can you? I'm surprised at you, Sesshoumaru, usually you're all ice, and have no emotions at all. Falling for a human girl would be the last thing I'd think you'd want to do."

"Who said anything about love?" he asked, smiling maliciously. "Sometimes a guy just needs a good screw!"

Inuyasha gritted his teeth as Kouga smacked Sesshoumaru encouragingly on his shoulder, earning himself a growl and a glare.

Inuyasha was struck with inspiration; as he watched Sesshoumaru snap at Kouga, he realised that both of them might have the same objective, and appeared to be helping each other, but neither of them really gave a rat's ass about the other; right now, an alliance between them was necessary in order to defeat Inuyasha himself, but as soon as he was out of the way, Inuyasha could see that they would turn on each other until only one was left standing. Their alliance now was very unstable, for neither of them cared about anything but satisfying his own needs. He tried to think of a way he could use this against them.

Kouga withdrew his hand, and snarled at Sesshoumaru's back; he didn't think that had been called for. Glaring at the other demon, he too returned his attention to the large fang in Inuyasha's hand.

Rin pointed into the sky as she yelled, "There's Kagome and Sango! Ah-Un, follow them!"

Shippo clung tight to the little girl as the dragon took to the air, following the three riders on the firecat. Catching up, Miroku looked back to see two little hands waving and their voices shouting, "Wait for us!"

Kirara slowed, and the dragon came abreast, so the riders could speak without yelling, and giving away their position.

"Kagome," Shippo whined, "what's going on? Why are we running away from Inuyasha and Kouga and Sesshoumaru? What's wrong with them?"

Embarrassed, Kagome shrugged and said, "I don't know, sweetheart." Sango and Miroku said nothing.

Rin began to cry. "Why was Lord Sesshoumaru so different? He scared me," she whimpered, and Kagome reached out to her, and she climbed into Kagome's lap, wrapping her arms about her neck.

Shippo reached into his plastic bag for a lollipop; they always made him feel better. Kagome, seeing this reached over and said, "Gimme one of those, please, Shippo."

Handing her a big one, she smiled her thanks and broke off a chunk for Rin, while she jammed the rest into her own mouth. She was nervous, _really_ nervous. She was strung tighter than a violin string, and anything traumatizing would snap her like _that_.

She fingered the sleeve of Inuyasha's haori as they flew along in silence; she hoped against hope that he would be all right.

Kouga charged Inuyasha, flying at him with a speed that was surreal. Inuyasha sliced at him, but Kouga, just as he'd expected, jumped away, out of Tetsusaiga's reach. Turning swiftly, so his back was to the wolf, he hoped that by leaving himself exposed Kouga would seize the moment and attack him. His patience paid off as Kouga did just that, and at the last second, he spun, and brought the broad side of Tetsusaiga down on the wolf's head with a solid _thump!  
_

Kouga collapsed on the ground, unconscious. Inuyasha breathed hard, and muttered, "And stay down there, wolf!"

He turned to locate his brother, but could see him nowhere. An unpleasant tingle travelled the length of his spine; Sesshoumaru was here somewhere, and was just awaiting a perfect chance to kill him.

He spun around, again and again, when he felt the sting of a lash across his bare back, and looked behind him to see Sesshoumaru sitting on the lower branch of a nearby tree, one knee propped up idly, his fingers aglow with the green poison whip they produced.

He growled, and Sesshoumaru launched himself off the branch, his speed twice that of Kouga's.  
In an instant he was in Inuyasha's face, sneering, "Too slow!" as he brought his striped wrist up, slashing Inuyasha's bicep, blood spurting all over his white haori as he sped away.

Inuyasha cried out, and clutched his sword arm, blood seeping through between his clawed fingers. He glared at Sesshoumaru as he confidently approached again, a smirk on his blood-spattered face.

Inuyasha knew he had no other alternative; in his state, Sesshoumaru was invincible, and Inuyasha knew he didn't have a chance in hell of subduing him without letting his own demon out.

Dropping Tetsusaiga in the dirt, it transformed into a thin, rusty, battered katana, now that Inuyasha's demonic power was no longer supporting it.

As Sesshoumaru approached, Inuyasha felt his blood heat up; soon it felt like it was boiling inside his veins. When he looked up from underneath his bangs, his eyes were stained red, his irises an ocean blue.

Sesshoumaru saw this, but unlike the last time he'd witnessed his brother's transformation, he was not afraid. His demon was fearless, and he continued to approach Inuyasha, undeterred, and cracking the knuckles of his only hand.

"Time's up, _little brother_," he sneered, and stood over Inuyasha, glaring down on his long silver hair. "She will be mine, now, as soon as I finish you off."

Inuyasha chuckled, deep and melodic, just like their Father used to. Sesshoumaru was assaulted by memories as he listened to Inuyasha laugh, too caught up in his flashbacks to inquire what was so funny.

"You'd never go back on a promise, Sesshoumaru. It's dishonourable, and that's the last thing you want to be," Inuyasha's voice was gravelly, and sounded not at all like it normally did. It brought Sesshoumaru back to the present, and just as he made to swipe at Inuyasha with his glowing fingers, the hanyou disappeared, sneering, "it would be a pity to start dishonouring yourself now."

Latching onto Sesshoumaru from behind, Inuyasha gripped his brother's neck with his bloody arm and tightened his muscles, choking Sesshoumaru.

Gasping, Sesshoumaru tried to claw him off with his one arm, but Inuyasha quickly grabbed his wrist and squeezed, hearing the bones cracking within, and Sesshoumaru tried to transform. He howled in frustration when it didn't work; he couldn't transform when his vision was swimming, and he could feel unconsciousness hovering close by. Everything before him began to fade, and soon his head lolled, and Inuyasha released him, poking him to make sure he was out.

Peeling back and eyelid, he was pleased to find his brother's eyes had returned to their normal colour, and he was breathing normally. Leaving Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha went to check Kouga. His eyes, too, had returned to their original ocean blue when his eyelid was pried back, and Inuyasha picked up Tetsusaiga, satisfied with his handy work.

His own eyes faded to gold and his stripes disappeared as he hefted Tetsusaiga up, which transformed at his first touch. Sheathing it, he walked through the dusty air, surveying his destructiveness. The deer thigh roasting over the now out fire had blackened to a crisp, and he picked it up, hocking it over the edge of the escarpment into the canyon below.

Taking off, he ran to locate the rest of their group and bring them back, now that everyone had been subdued.

Stopping along the way, he plucked a rose from amongst a thorny bush, scratching his hand up, but he barely felt the pain. Twisting the red flower thoughtfully between his fingers, he sprinted away, following her beautiful scent.

Wow, intense. Dinna worry, she'll tell him soon, probably in the next chapter. Maybe there'll be some lemony freshness too, but...I don't know. I guess we'll find out! Review, and see you next chappie, babes!


	9. Chapter 9

Hey, everyone! Sorry if this turns out screwed up, but this site is pissing me off, and the format and font are fucked up, so bear with me if it turns out stupid.

Deds:

Terra34 - Here it is! Enjoy.

Water Kunoichi - It's all about the drama! lol, guess what? Your character makes her appearance in the next chappie! Yay!

BoundxByxDeath - You're too kind, I die from all this flattery, really, if my writing is so good, I should be making money from it, by god! Sigh. Of course, I'm not that lucky (shakes fist in God's general direction) Thank you for the lovely compliments!

Disclaimer: Why? Why do I bother? I slave and I entertain the people, please, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, I DON'T WANT A MINT FOR MY PILLOW!

**Every Time We Touch**

Kirara set them down on a ledge of granite a ways down the canyon, where they had come from, following the edge of the escarpment.

They had just begun to climb of her back when a rustling was heard, and Inuyasha appeared through the trees, following them. Kagome sighed in relief; he was okay.

Landing before her, her took her in his arms and pulled her close, her scent filling his senses as he closed his eyes and breathed her in.

Kagome flung her arms around him and began to cry; she'd been so worried for him.

She pulled away, to get a better look at him, and gasped when her arm came away moist. He was bleeding, and it dripped from his fingertips to puddle next to his foot in the dirt.

"Inuyasha! What happened to your arm?" she panicked, he had lost so much blood…

He smiled at her concern, and holding her close, rumbled, "It's fine, just a scratch." He took the rose he'd been holding in his hand and tucked it behind her ear, its thorns stripped so as not to hurt her. She smiled.

She then tore a strip from the bottom of her skirt and tied it tightly around his bicep, to staunch the flow of blood. He could never fathom why his physical well being concerned her so much; this wound would be healed by sun-up tomorrow. Regardless, he only watched her with love in his amber orbs as she finished her task, and he gestured for her to get on his back.

"We're going back?" she asked, panicky.

He nodded. "It's alright, I subdued them. They won't do that again, I promise."

Sango and Miroku exchanged a doubtful glance, and Rin clung to Kagome's leg, the older woman's hand playing absently with her ponytail.

"Are you sure, Inuyasha? We can't have Kagome around those two if they're going to react to her scent like that. We cannot risk her life so recklessly."

Kagome was shaking, Inuyasha noted, as she climbed onto his back, and he felt sorry for her. She was afraid, and he had done little to reassure her.

"I'm sure," he replied, and, taking her hand, held it to his heart as he took off, leaving the rest of them to follow at their own pace.

When Inuyasha landed at their campsite, Kagome refused to let go of him. After a few gentle words, and some copious coaxing, she came around, and he gripped her waist as he led her to her clothes, keeping an eye on her as she quickly dressed.

When she was done, Sesshoumaru stepped out from behind a tree, and upon seeing him, both Inuyasha and Kagome thought of the same thing.

Kagome was thinking, _Oh, shit, I still haven't told him…I hope Sesshoumaru didn't say anything.  
_

Inuyasha was thinking, _Oh yeah, I forgot to ask Kagome if what he told me was true.  
_

Sesshoumaru ignored Inuyasha and approached Kagome, even though she moved to hide behind Inuyasha, afraid. His heart clenched; the thought that it had been him who caused the fear he could see flashing in her eyes made him feel lower than a bug.

Kouga approached now, too, rubbing a bump on his head and looking a little more than remorseful as he came to a stop next to Sesshoumaru.

"Look, Kagome, I'm really sorry," Kouga blurted, and turned his face away, embarrassed. "Can you forgive me? Please?"

A long moment of silence passed as Kagome contemplated his request from the safety of Inuyasha's back. Kouga had really scared her, but then again, a lot of things in this era scared her, and she supposed she would have to get used to it, if she was going to stay with Inuyasha liked she wanted.

A quiet, "I forgive you," came from behind Inuyasha, and her hand appeared in his, and he squeezed it reassuringly. Kouga nodded, and, turning to sit by the fire, said, "Thank you, Kagome."

After he was out of earshot, Sesshoumaru still stood before his brother, seeing him, but not paying attention to the glare gracing the handsome hanyou's face. The wolf had gotten off easy enough, he thought, and he could only hope that he could get away unscathed as well.

Before he could open his mouth, however, Kagome peeked out at him from behind Inuyasha's shoulder, and there was a look in her eyes, a look of such complete sadness and self-loathing that his heart tore in two just seeing it. He knew what was on her mind; maybe he could earn her forgiveness by correcting a little blunder he'd made not too long before the confrontation.

"I did not mean to scare you," he said quietly to her, and she nodded. He turned to look at Inuyasha; his brother's face hardened seeing that he finally had Sesshoumaru's full attention. Sesshoumaru hoped Inuyasha hadn't asked Kagome about what he'd said yet, and took a deep breath, plunging in, hoping for the best.

"Inuyasha, I lied when I said I'd kissed Kagome. I was trying to hurt you. I do not expect your forgiveness."

Kagome's eyes opened wide upon hearing this; _had Sesshoumaru just covered both their asses?_ It was noble of him to try, she thought sadly, but knew she would tell Inuyasha the truth, regardless of what he'd said to absolve them.

Inuyasha snorted, but did nothing to indicate his forgiveness. They may have blood ties to each other, but they were still enemies, and you didn't forgive your enemies, especially for something like this.

Turning, Sesshoumaru followed Kouga to the fire, and sat down, staring into its warm flames, dancing and creating dark shadows in the contours of his chiselled face.

Inuyasha turned to Kagome and gathered her in his arms, and, just as the rest of their friends arrived, he took off with her down the canyon wall, to be alone with the woman he loved.

Inuyasha found the tree he'd been sitting in the previous night and settled himself and Kagome high up in its branches. She wrapped her arms under his shoulder blades, and leaned her face into his neck, dreading what was to come.

He settled her between his knees and began to stroke her hair, her heartbeat speeding up the longer he was silent.

Soon, tears were streaming down her cheeks, and he smelt them. Pulling her away, so he could see her face, she hid under her bangs; she didn't want him to see her face when she admitted her guilt.

"Kagome," he said, shaking her lightly, "what's wrong?"

Kagome sobbed, and reburied her face in his neck, and he held her as her muffled voice blurted out, "Sesshoumaru was lying when he told you he didn't mean what he said about kissing me! I'm so sorry, Inuyasha! I didn't mean for it to happen, and I feel absolutely horrible about it! God, I'm sooo sorry!"

She expected him to push her away, to reject her, but to her surprise, he pulled her closer, and, finding her ear, whispered, "I forgive you."

She stilled, and her breath ceased to move into her lungs; time froze for her, as she raised her eyes to look into his golden ones, the only eyes she loved, or would live for; the eyes she would die for.

He smiled a little. "I figured you had something on your mind earlier when I woke up," he confessed, and was glad she'd told him right away.

"You're not mad?" she sniffled, looking into his eyes desperately, seeking reassurance there.

"No. Just don't do it again, okay?" he smiled.

"You can count on it!" she replied, and took his mouth in hers.

After a passionate kiss, she made him shudder when her tongue slid its way up and over his chin, and he growled lustily; she knew exactly what to do to turn him on, and he wanted her so badly…

When he'd released her for air, she whispered, "Thank you, Inuyasha…for protecting me from them." She was referring to Kouga and Sesshoumaru.

He smiled into her happy eyes. "I could do no less for the woman I love," he whispered, his voice gravelly with emotion. As a response, Kagome grabbed his hands and placed them on her shirt, helping him remove it. He took over from there, and Shippo looked at Rin curiously when faint moans could be heard on the wind, two hundred feet up the granite wall to the rim of the escarpment, where the group was camped.

Sango glanced at Miroku, who smiled knowingly at her, and Sesshoumaru glanced at Kouga from the corner of his eye, to see the wolf sigh forlornly. He himself offered no insight into his feelings; his face never changed, the stoic mask was in place and would not fall again, not if he could help it, anyway.

Rising, he went to Jaken and ordered him to prepare Rin for bed. Grumbling, the kappa did as he was told, Rin whining every step of the way.

Shippo crawled into Sango's lap next to Kirara and made himself comfortable, and when Miroku tried the same move, he was rewarded with a hard slap and a death glare from Sango.

Laying down, she pulled her silver Discman from her little bundle of possessions and turned it on low, and fell asleep with it still playing.

Kouga continued to stare into the flames, trying valiantly to block out the sounds coming from the canyon below, with little success. Sesshoumaru strode by, and took to the air, looking for food. Kouga didn't even see him leave, nor did he hear Miroku the first time he spoke his name.

"Kouga!" he said again, louder this time.

"Hmm? What?" he replied, caught off guard.

"Are you alright? You seem a little out of sorts lately." Miroku was putting it mildly.

"You could say that," he hedged, not really wanting to discuss his lapse in control.

"Does that happen often? I mean, does the demon always become so difficult to control?" Miroku was genuinely interested; he would file away what Kouga told him to mull over later, when he had nothing better to think about.

"Only when a female in heat is around," he said quietly, and looked away. Miroku nodded; it was as he'd suspected.

"I see. I'm surprised that Sesshoumaru lost control, too; he seems to have such iron discipline, I can't even begin to imagine trying to suppress such a persistent urge"  
Kouga tilted his head. "There is no suppressing it," he admitted, and looked Miroku in the eye, "not for me, anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, that if my demon takes over, there's nothing I can do to stop it. Call it survival instinct, if you will."

"Survival instinct? You mean, your inner demon sees mating as a way to survive"

Kouga offered a ghost of a smile. "Producing a new generation is essential if my bloodline is to continue."

Miroku sat back, suddenly aware that he'd been leaning very far forward. He rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

"So, let me get this straight. When you smell a female in heat, your demon sees an opportunity to reproduce, and it takes over, leaving you powerless to stop it?"

"That about sums it up, yeah," he replied.

"Even if the female is taken, or refuses you?"

"Doesn't matter," he said, shaking his head, "a taken female's mate must protect her, that's why he's there. It makes no never mind to the inner demon whether or not a female is willing. It takes what it can get, and does everything in its power to see that that female is impregnated. The only way she can escape is if her mate is a good protector, or if she is physically stronger than me, or can defeat me in battle and reverse my transformation."

"Reverse it? How?"

"She would have to knock me unconscious, suffocate me, or bind me with spell scrolls. That's how some humans defend themselves against lust-crazed demons. My demon, as you already know, isn't very choosy when it comes to a ready female."

"I see." Miroku said again, and mulled over Kouga's words. Kouga was thinking that he'd already told the monk more than he'd intended, and hoped he was out of questions, but Miroku had just one left.

"So, your demon, in its frenzy to continue to preserve your bloodline, will do anything, even resort to rape, to get to a female in heat?"

Kouga's cheeks turned red, and he looked at his hands in his lap, ashamed.

"Yes," he whispered, and his heart twisted at the thought of his raping Kagome, and hurting her. If Inuyasha hadn't been there…suddenly he was exceedingly grateful to the mutt for cracking his skull, it had saved him from himself, not to mention Kagome.

Miroku leaned over and gave his shoulder a friendly pat. "You can't help what your demon does, Kouga," he said, kindly. "Don't beat yourself up. Has she forgiven you?"

Kouga nodded slowly.

"See? I think you should forget that this whole deal ever happened, and act normal. That way, she will feel better, and warm up to you sooner, knowing that your over it, and she will follow suit, I'm sure of it." Miroku knew he was spouting nothing but pure bullshit, his words complete conjecture, but his job was to offer consolation and solace to the common man, and he could see his words had made the handsome wolf feel just a little bit better.

"You think so?" Kouga asked, doubtful.

"I _know_ so. Why don't you get some sleep? Sesshoumaru will return any minute, I'm sure, and keep a watch over us. It's his turn, after all."

Miroku knew he sounded too cheerful, but Kouga wasn't a genius, and he accepted Miroku's words at face value.

He shrugged, saying, "If you say so," and lay down, closing his eyes. He was more tired than he'd thought. Soon he was snoring.

Miroku mulled over their conversation; he would speak with Inuyasha about it tomorrow when they broke camp, and see what he had to say on the matter. He was curious now as to how the inner demon worked; it seemed to be different for every demon.

Inuyasha didn't seem to have a problem, Kouga had no control whatsoever, and Sesshoumaru…well, Sesshoumaru was a mystery. He'd have to ask Inuyasha's opinion on that one, too. When it came to the demon Lord, Miroku was lost.

He thought momentarily about asking Sesshoumaru bluntly about his transformation, but decided against it. Maybe he would speak to Kagome, they seemed to be close…no, he knew that wouldn't work either, not for a while, anyway. She was likely still too traumatized to look at either demon just yet. He hoped that Inuyasha was not only reassuring her physically right now, but emotionally, too.

Lying down, he pressed his back to Sango's for warmth. Her hand came up and smacked him pitifully on the shoulder; she was too deep into sleep to smack harder.

He smiled. _One day, Sango_, he thought mischievously, _one day you will be mine, and you will love everything I have to give you. _

When Inuyasha returned with Kagome the following morning, everyone looked up, but no words were spoken as the two rejoined the group, Kagome immediately pulling Sango to her feel and glancing at her Discman. Both girls wandered away, to do what they loved - to dance. Rin, seeing that Sesshoumaru was not looking her way, got up to follow.

Inuyasha made himself comfortable in front of the fire, and ate a handful of cold sturgeon that Sesshoumaru had brought back the night before.

Kouga and Sesshoumaru were silent, absorbed in their own thoughts, and still feeling guilty, Kouga more so than Sesshoumaru, from what Inuyasha could see. He thought it best to say nothing for now; let them stew in their own juices until they wanted to talk.

Shippo, loudly chewing a Bottlecap, crawled into Inuyasha's lap and smiled mischievously at him. Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow in suspicion.

"What do you want?" he growled, picking the child up by his tail.

"Nothing," Shippo replied, not complaining about Inuyasha's hurting him.

"Then get off me." He threw Shippo at Kirara, who mewed angrily, and hissed in Inuyasha's direction.

Inuyasha stuck his tongue out at them, and reached for more fish.

"That was mature, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha glared in Sesshoumaru's direction, smirking, "So, you're talking now, are you?"

"I was unaware that I had stopped," he countered, glowering at his brother.

"Could have fooled me," Inuyasha muttered under his breath, and Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes dangerously, gritting, "What was that, _little_ brother?"

Inuyasha smiled. "You heard me." He grasped Tetsusaiga as Sesshoumaru's claws began to secrete green poison; he was summoning the whip.

"So," Sesshoumaru said, standing and facing Inuyasha, who held Tetsusaiga in front of him in a defensive gesture, "you want to pick a fight this morning? Well, you wanted it; you're going to get it." A loud _crack!_ was heard as Kouga scrambled to get out from between the two brothers. The green whip, wrapped tight about Tetsusaiga's blade, jerked sharply and was wrenched from Inuyasha's hands, flying away behind Sesshoumaru, coming to a stop embedded to the hilt in a tree trunk, way out of reach.

Inuyasha's eyes widened; without Tetsusaiga to contain him, he would turn.

Sesshoumaru smiled slowly, a seductive, yet deadly picture. _I guess his name doesn't mean 'perfect killer' for nothing_, Inuyasha thought fleetingly, as his blood once again began to heat up.

Just as Inuyasha was about to transform, Sesshoumaru seemed to realise that baiting him had been a mistake and stopped advancing on him; he could hear Kouga behind him, having fetched Kagome and brought her back here to solve the dispute. He frowned; every time he had a chance to put Inuyasha in his place someone came along and ruined it. He growled in defeat.

Kagome, who'd come running at Kouga's urgent warning, saw Inuyasha and yelled, "SIT!"

His rosary glowing brightly, Inuyasha fought gravity uselessly as he did a face-plant in the dirt, making the ground shake. He came up fighting as soon as the spell wore off and, not wanting to make Kagome madder, decided to take his anger out on Sesshoumaru, instead. After all, this whole fight was his doing; he'd started it!

Sesshoumaru's face lightened at seeing Inuyasha's charge toward him; maybe he'd get his wish yet! He waited until Inuyasha was mere feet away before jumping, and landed behind him. He wasn't expecting Inuyasha to keep going, though.

Running to the tree and grasping Tetsusaiga firmly, he wrought the blade from the wood, scattering wood slivers all over the grass as he swung the blade again to face his brother.

"That was a fancy trick, Sesshoumaru, but I can promise that it won't work twice."

"Hnh." He snorted in response, drawing Tokijin from his sash, the blade crackling with pent-up demonic energy, just begging to be released.

"Did you like that?" he challenged, pointing Tokijin directly at his brother's head and sending off a burst of energy through the air at him, his hair fluttering about him with the shockwave he created.

Kagome stood back, behind Kouga, who watched the fight intently. He cared not at all which brother won; he liked neither, but he would not stand idle while Kagome was near without making sure she remained safe. The brothers rained blow after blow on each other, Kagome's shouts and pleas for them to stop going unheard by either man in the din their swords created as trees, rocks, and even the ground cracked and split, shattering and showering the area with dust and sharp chunks of debris.

Both brothers were wounded and bleeding by the time Sesshoumaru had managed to once again disarm Inuyasha, this time flinging Tetsusaiga away through the air to land blade-down in the ground fifteen feet behind Inuyasha.

Kagome had had enough; she yelled, "SIT, BOY!" and as Inuyasha went down, grabbed her bow from her nearby bag and notched an arrow at Sesshoumaru, aiming straight for his heart.

"Both of you, stop it!" she screamed, and both brothers turned to face her. Inuyasha got up and walked toward her, but she was so angry that she snapped at his attempt to get close to her and when Kouga tried to come near, she aimed the arrow at him. He backed off, both hands up in submission, as she once again aimed at Sesshoumaru, tears streaming down her face.

Shaking, she glared at all three of them, Sango and Rin running up behind her to see what all the ruckus was about. Seeing Kagome, both of their jaws dropped; _what had happened here?_ Sango took in the smoking trees and dirt, the splintered trunks and shattered boulders, and concluded that Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had been at it again.

Rin stared around her in shock. _Why was Lord Sesshoumaru so hostile to his brother?_ she thought. She missed her own brothers terribly, and could not imagine ever fighting with them, let alone attempting to kill them.

Her anger slowly fading, Kagome kept her bow drawn as she glared at each man in turn before turning her bow to the sky and releasing a hot-pink arrow, the shaft glowing with pure energy as her arrow shot skyward, hitting a passing crow demon and killing it instantly, its body disintegrating before it could even fall to the ground.

Inuyasha was reluctant to approach her again; she was so mad, and he'd never seen her this angry before. He hoped a ton of sits weren't in his very near future.

Kouga's mouth had dropped open and he just closed it now. Kagome was almost flaming, her anger was so great. He decided to keep his distance, at least until she'd cooled off.

Sesshoumaru's heart rate slowed; for a moment he'd really believed that she would shoot him. He was not worried that she would hit him; he had dissolved her arrows before, and would have done so again if she had loosed the sharply pointed wooden shaft. Still, it had been so long since she'd last aimed her bow at him, and he had thought that they'd gotten to know each other well enough that she'd not do it twice. It gave him a little insight into just how much rage she'd been feeling. If she were a demon he would not have been at all surprised if she'd transformed on the spot, and killed them all.

Dropping her bow, Kagome dropped her gaze to the ground, ashamed at her loss of control over her emotions. She just hated so much to see them fighting like that…

Turning, she walked away, taking her bow back to her bag and jamming it inside.

Looking to Sango and Rin she raised her brows, as if to ask, shall we, and headed back to the spot where they'd been dancing, both girls trailing after her.

Inuyasha watched her go, a sinking feeling in his chest, an imploding sensation around the region of his heart. He had to make this up to her…_but how?_ She wouldn't even look at him, now. He felt death in a blaze of glory was a kindness compared to the silent treatment from Kagome. Sighing, he sheathed his sword as he passed it and walked in the opposite direction, head hung low, to contemplate a good way to make up with her.

Kouga re-seated himself now that the fracas had passed, and stoked the fire with a nearby stick.

Sesshoumaru, replacing Tokijin in his sash, went to be alone for a while, to think about what had just happened.

Ohhh, so many fights, the boys are just so...wound up! What happens when another woman enters the picture? Read and find out! I may be a little slower updating after this, I have to keep writing, I'm catching up to myself here, and writer's block is threatening to overcome my fingers! Save me. Review, love ya's!


	10. Chapter 10

Alrighty then, my adoring fans, you asked for it, and even though I am rapidly over stretching myself in the typing department here (I am only eight pages ahead of you), I will deliver, all because I hate to leave you guys hanging. I know, I am so nice. Ha ha ha.

_Deds_:

**Daoina** - I'm glad you like what you've read so far, compliments are always welcome in my inbox!

**BoundxByxDeath** - As I said above, I hate to keep anyone waiting, especially you, since you've warmed up so nicely to this little tale I've valiantly been trying to spin as quickly as possible, so you don't have to wait. I think maybe I should shorten my chapters, give myself a little leeway...anyway, here it is, just for you!

**Water Kunoichi** - Get all excited, Kitana is about to enter the picture, Stage Left! So excited! I hope you approve of my portrayal of her; I tried to make her someone Sessy would fall for, so we'll see what the general concensus on my writing skills are, when I hear back from you guys! I need to know if she's a good character, or if I botched her up, tell me!(PS - I'm still hunting for a scanner to highjack...keep yer fingers crossed!)

**Das Moen** - I'll try to keep it coming, but I can't make any promises...But nonetheless, thanks for dropping me a line, hope to hear from you again soon!

Disclaimer: Fuck off, my back's killing me, I worked major overtime, and I have an interview next week. Get off my back!

**Every Time We Touch**

He strode into the forest, a breeze rippling through his silken hair as he narrowed his eyes; someone was following him. He continued on as if nothing was amiss.

He walked for another ten feet when it happened. He heard a rustling in the tree above him, yet he did not look up. He waited, stock still, as he reached out with all his senses, locating his assassin - or what he assumed was an assassin. No one he knew would be so cautious, except Naraku. He sniffed the wind; no trace of Naraku was to be found here, and he relaxed. He had nothing to worry about.

As soon as he'd laid his hand on Tokijin it attacked, two sharp knives crossed over its chest as long, dark blue hair whipped Sesshoumaru's face like a lash, stinging severely and leaving red streaks criss-crossing over his magenta markings.

He brought Tokijin down with a bone-crushing force, just missing his assailant and tearing up the ground with the demonic blast.

"Come out!" he challenged, once again alone in the forest. "Face me like a man, or are you afraid? Show yourself, before I'm forced to find you!"

He moved toward its scent with his lightening speed, and knocked it off the branch it had been perched upon, and pinned it to the ground.

In a move he hadn't expected, his assassin brought its foot up between his legs and gave a mighty kick, flinging him over its head so he landed on his back, leaving him with the wind knocked out of him and two very sore boys down below.

It was on him in a second, both knives, which he saw clearly now were a pair of sai, weapons he hadn't seen in decades, pressing dangerously close to the jugular veins on either side of his neck.

He lay back, pretending defeat. As soon as the masked figure let its guard slip a little, confident that it had him at its mercy, he grabbed both its thin arms, which, in retrospect, probably should have given him a clue as to the sex of his assassin, but he was too absorbed in battle at the time to notice, and flipped it over, pinning its arms down with his knees and choking its throat with his clawed hand, which glowed green as poison began to flow from under the nails.

His hunter-turned-victim gurgled something unintelligible; he said, "Remove the mask, and show yourself. I wish to see the face of my next victim."

Slowly, it dropped both its weapons on the ground and pulled off the mask, revealing two very large, _very_ blue eyes. Sesshoumaru felt his heart quicken. _She was gorgeous!  
_

_She?_ He thought dumbly as he stared into her face. He had been fighting a woman? _Did she not know who he was?_ _Was she stupid?_ Even Kagura, though she liked to shoot her mouth off, knew better than to challenge him, and she was an incarnation of that disgusting hanyou, Naraku!

"Who are you?" he demanded, regaining his composure quickly. His fist tightened a fraction about her throat.

"I am a mercenary. I kill for money. You got a problem with that?"

He had to give her credit; she had more balls in the face of death than most men he knew.

"Who hired you? I wish to know who paid you to end my life, as pitiful as your attempt was."

She snarled; her beauty only increased with her ire. Blue hair spilled over his hand, and it felt as soft as a feather.

"Why should I tell you? You're only going to kill me anyway." Her words were defiant, hard. He frowned. That was not the answer he wanted.

"Mayhap I will be merciful if you tell me what I wish to know, _wench_," he growled through clenched teeth, in as condescending a tone as he could muster.

She hesitated; her employer had told her that if she failed, she would not be paid, and he would kill her. She shuddered at the thought of him. His long, greasy hair, the hate-filled red eyes…they all swam before her mind's-eye, threatening her, daring her to tell the Lord what he wanted to hear.

She thought, _Fuck him_.

"Fine, have it your way. A man named Naraku hired me. _Now_ are you satisfied?"

He glared into her eyes, attempting to intimidate her; if she lied, he would take her head, he swore it.

"Tell me," he asked, his voice deceptively kind, "what did Naraku look like?"

She pursed her lips. He didn't believe her. Not that she expected him to. She thought to herself as she contemplated his question that it was a shame someone wanted him dead; he was quite handsome, and she almost felt sorry that she'd never get to know him, for he would probably kill her. Of course, she didn't trust this Naraku, either. There was something too sinister about that man, and he gave her a bad feeling. She decided that the sooner she severed her ties with him, the better.

"Greasy hair, red eyes, seems to like purple…he was surrounded by some awful poisonous gas, made me want to gag. Sound familiar?"

He didn't appreciate her sarcasm, but he released her nonetheless.

"It is wise of you to tell the truth," he commented, tucking Tokijin back into his sash, "for had you lied, you would be dead."

She stood, rubbing her throat and eying him warily. _He's serious_, she thought, feeling fear of him for the first time. "Look," she said, sheathing her sais, "I'm sorry. If I had known you, I wouldn't have taken the job. This Naraku…he's bad news, isn't he?"

Sesshoumaru tucked his hand up his opposite sleeve and gave her a sidelong glance.

"To put it mildly," he replied, and began to leave.

She panicked. She was a mercenary, true; but she was only this way because she had lost her brother, Koji, in a war not too long ago, and, fearing he was dead, had taken up killing for hire to support herself. Being an elemental demon, she had power over water, and could manipulate it any way she pleased. Her brother controlled fire, and they had once made the perfect team, but now that he was missing, she realised just how lonely it was when you were on your own in the world.

"Wait!"

He stopped, but did not turn.

"Sesshoumaru, isn't it? Where are you going?"

He turned to look at her then with frosty eyes. She could tell right away that he was a man used to being in control at all times, and rarely ever lost it.

"Why do you wish to know?" he asked in a voice that didn't match his expression at all.

"Well…I don't have anywhere to go," she confessed, hanging her head shamefully.

He snorted. He already had two vassals; _what was another when his privacy was so limited anyway?  
_

"Very well. You may follow."

She smiled, and he looked away. Her smile was the epitome of demonic beauty itself, and he feared she would see his flushed cheeks if he looked at her a second longer.

Running after him, her hair flying, the girl followed Sesshoumaru, chatting his ear off the whole way.

_Well_, he thought, trying to endure her constant yammering, _so much for thinking over my mistakes this afternoon_. He sighed, silently.

Everyone looked up with shock when Sesshoumaru returned so shortly after leaving, and with another demon, no less.

Kouga eyed her appreciatively. He guessed her to be around Kagome's height, which wasn't very tall, but her lithe figure, which was revealed by a tight, black leather outfit, covered in intricate designs and the embroidered kanji symbol for water in ice blue thread on the back, was flattering and quite stylish. She wore gauntlets on her arms, and two sias were strapped to a sheath around her slim waist. She wore boots like Sesshoumaru's only hers were more feminine and had a heel.

Kagome's eyebrows rose when she saw this. She didn't think boots like this had been invented until her time, in the future.

Her armour was simple and plain, only covering her left shoulder, allowing for movement; it was flat and stained a light blue around the edges; otherwise it was so dark blue it appeared black at first glance.

Her blue hair blew back over her shoulders as she ceased speaking to Sesshoumaru and turned her head to acknowledge the new crowd of onlookers.

They all were taken aback when they caught sight of her enormous, slanted blue eyes. None of them had seen a shade so rich before.

She was quiet as Sesshoumaru stopped before Kagome, pleading to her with his eyes to help him. He even mouthed the words, and she giggled.

He frowned, not amused.

Kagome stuck out her hand. "Hi, I'm Kagome Higurashi," she said, introducing herself.

The girl shyly returned her handshake, replying, "I'm Kitana. Kitana Hamasaki. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Kagome smiled warmly. Releasing Kitana's hand and grabbing Inuyasha's, she pulled him close, and said, "This is my mate, Inuyasha. He's a bum, but you'll like him." Inuyasha snorted. At least she was talking to him now. He sulkily gritted, "Hey," to the new girl. She looked back to Kagome. Kagome elbowed Inuyasha.

"Fine, it's nice to meet you," he said, flinging his hand out. As soon as Kitana released it he drew it back into his sleeve as if her touch had burned him.

_What a crackpot_, she thought as Kagome continued to introduce her friends.

"This is Sango, my best friend. She's a demon slayer, and next to her is Miroku. He's a monk, a very lecherous monk. Watch out for him," she warned, and Kitana giggled at the indignant look that graced the monk's face, his hand resting on his chest in a manner that seemed to say, _I would never even think such things, let alone commit them!  
_

Moving on, Kagome pointed out Shippo, Rin, Jaken, Ah-Un, Kouga (who winked at her boldly; she raised a brow in return), and lastly, Kirara.

"I see you already know Sesshoumaru," Kagome concluded, winded. Their group was so huge now!

"Oh yes, I know Sesshoumaru. I tried to kill him," she said candidly.

Everyone's jaws dropped, and Sesshoumaru covered his face with his hand. _I don't know her_, he thought frantically.

"What?" Inuyasha croaked, disbelief very evident in his voice.

"It's true," she said, holding up her hands and grinning, her eyes straying to the demon Lord. He continued to avoid her gaze.

"So, that's how you met? I find it hard to believe that you're still alive, Kitana, after attempting something so rash. What on earth made you do such a foolish thing?"

Kagome was amazed; _did Sesshoumaru like this girl?_ He'd killed others just for looking at him the wrong way.

"Yeah, I figured that out when he tried to strangle me," she said, looking dreamily at the tall Lord. She forgot to answer Kagome's question, though.

He finally met her gaze, and stared back, his face a mask of usual emptiness, revealing absolutely nothing, exactly as he preferred it.

"Well, that's interesting." She and Inuyasha exchanged a look; _we'll talk about this later_.

Finally Sesshoumaru spoke up, answering for her. "She was hired by Naraku to assassinate me. Once again that filthy hanyou has sent an amateur to do a professional's job. Of course his plan failed."

His self-assurance and utter arrogance grated against everyone's nerves.

_He thinks he's so high and mighty_, the guys were thinking, while the girls curled their lips in disdain, thinking, _what an arrogant prick_. Kitana thought, _who's he calling an_ _amateur?_

Sesshoumaru turned and headed for the fire, and the leftover fish sitting there; as far as he was concerned, the conversation was over. He couldn't, try as he might, however, get the image of blue eyes and hair to disappear from his mind.

Sango asked Kitana, "So, do you know where Naraku is?"

Kitana shook her head, "He disappeared before I left him. He threatened to kill me if I failed him." Sango dropped her gaze in disappointment.

"Yeah, he likes to do that," Inuyasha drawled, dropping into a comfortable position on a nearby boulder, Kagome leaning next to him, "if you hang around you'll find he likes to mess with people's lives, too. He's a fucking asshole."

"I gathered that," she said as Kouga approached her, and making a complete circuit around her person, looking her up and down, he whistled softly.

"Can I help you?" she asked sarcastically, and he grinned.

"Maybe," he smirked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Disgusted at his lack of effort to woo her properly, she reached out and touched him; within a half-second he was paralysed, frozen to the spot. Only his eyes moved to indicate he was still alive.

Inuyasha burst out laughing, "Serves you right, wolf! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Even Sesshoumaru had to smile at her effective way of warding off the randy wolf. _He's getting as bad as that perverted monk_, he thought, removing all traces of emotion from his face before anyone saw it.

"Where are you from, Kitana?" Said monk asked, moving a step closer.

Kitana grabbed her hair and pulled it into a tight topknot, securing it with a blue leather thong she pulled from the many lacings on her outfit. Kagome noticed that the front was made to look like a corset; it in fact laced up tightly all the way down her back. She wondered how the demon girl could breath.

"Originally, I'm from the continent," she said, referring to China, across the ocean, a world away from their little island of Nihon, or as Kagome knew it, Japan.

"Really? You don't look foreign at all."

"Well, that would probably be because I've lived here my entire life. I was only born there."

"I see," he replied, stroking his chin.

"What's that silver thing hanging from your neck?" Shippo asked, jumping from Inuyasha's shoulder to Kitana's, taking the shiny object in his little hands and twisting it, making it reflect the sunlight.

"It's a whistle," she said, winking at the tiny fox. He was so adorable!

"A whistle for what?"

She put the silver object to her bottom lip and, looking up, replied, "You'll soon find out." and, blowing into it, issued a high-pitched whistle, so high-pitched that every demon, including Sesshoumaru, quickly covered their ears. Only Kitana seemed able to withstand the noise she made.

When she stopped, nothing happened. Everyone looked around; the area was silent. They all looked back to Kitana for answers, but she only held up her hand, her index finger extended: _wait_.

Kouga's frozen eyes rolled skyward.

After a moment, clouds began to pass over the sun, and the wind picked up; soon, it was almost as intense as a hurricane, in their little clearing on the edge of the escarpment. Kagome clung to Inuyasha.

A black shadow emerged from the clouds, and a huge dragon came into view, hovering over them and creating a fierce wind. Kitana blew into the whistle three consecutive bursts, and the dragon began to shrink, until it was the size of Ah-Un.

Landing next to her, she took the beast's massive head into her tiny hands and stroked its face; it growled deeply in greeting.

"This is Storm, my dragon familiar," she said, and everyone stared in awe. The dragon's scales appeared made of real metal, and winked in the sun as it reappeared from behind the clouds.

Cautiously approaching, his hand on Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha slowly reached out and touched the creature. It appeared not to notice.

"It feels like real metal!" he exclaimed, and soon everyone came to pet the dragon.

Kitana smiled indulgently, still holding the dragon's head. "It is metal," she informed him.  
"Like me, he is elemental in nature, and his element is metal. He can harden his skin until it is like a suit of armour; as impenetrable as steel."

Kagome whispered to Inuyasha, "Sounds like Ryuukotsusei."

He nodded, absently running his hand over the shiny scales before him. Sesshoumaru approached, tightly holding Ah-Un's reins, in case the two beasts didn't get along, and would need to be subdued.

The dragon called Storm turned its head lazily to face Ah-Un. The two-headed dragon lowered its head imperceptively; the silver dragon returned the gesture.

When all the excitement had died down, Ah-Un lumbered across the clearing to a fresh patch of grass, and Storm followed closely, and the two ate peacefully side by side.

Kitana looked at Sesshoumaru to see his reaction, but he was not facing her. He was speaking to a very short toad, whom she recalled was named Jaken. He spoke quietly, but she heard his words.

He looked at her and glared; he moved away, the imp following.

_What a stiff_, she thought, smiling at her joke. She had to admit, he took her breath away…he was a very desirable demon. She had a feeling that he wasn't so hostile to those who knew him well, though she could see the resemblance between him and Inuyasha; they must be brothers, but there seemed to be some friction there... she made a mental note to ask about that.

Slowly, they all drifted toward the fire, and sat in a circle around it, passing around what was left of the fish. As darkness fell, Kitana noticed that Sesshoumaru was not there. She looked around, and found him sitting against a tree, his retainer tending the fire at his feet. He watched them all from his spot under the shadowy maple, but Kitana could not tell at all what he might be thinking.

Turning her attention back to the group, she heard Shippo beg, "Kagome, can we please get out the rest of the Lucky Charms? Please?"

"Yeah, Kagome," Inuyasha prompted, followed by nods from Sango, Rin, and Miroku.

"What are Lucky Charms?" she asked.

"They're great!" Shippo exclaimed, and she smiled, mussing his hair.

"I'll bet they are! But that doesn't tell me much, sweetheart."

Kagome sighed, but she smiled, getting up off Inuyasha's lap with effort. "It's breakfast cereal," she explained, but Kitana was more confused than ever.

"Cereal?"

"Just get the box," Sango demanded, and Inuyasha pushed her toward her massive yellow bag.

She came back with a red box, a goofy-looking little green man on the front. She opened the box, and Inuyasha tore the bag out, flinging the box away as he ripped open the bag so everyone could get a handful.

Trying it, Kitana found it to be quite pleasing, and went back for more.

"Tell us a scary story now, Kagome!" Rin pleaded, crunching her share of Lucky Charms loudly.

Kagome laughed, and tried to refuse, but everyone in the circle gave a collective shout, saying,

"Yeah! Tell us! You're stories are scariest!"

She relented, and settled herself more snugly in Inuyasha's lap. Grabbing the flashlight from Miroku, she shone it up on her face, creating eerie shadows in the dark, enhanced by the flames from the fire.

Kitana watched as everyone leaned forward in anticipation; apparently this Kagome was a good storyteller. She would have to wait and see.

"And then-" Kagome's voice got lower and lower, and everyone stared at her intensely, waiting for her to go on. She was retelling a movie she'd seen once, called _Scream_.

"And then…the killer came up from behind her and said, 'What's your favourite scary movie…Sydney?'"

Shippo and Rin screamed, and Sango smiled at Miroku. Inuyasha opened his eyes; he'd fallen asleep. Kitana smirked. Apparently he'd heard this one before.

"That was good, Kagome," Rin said, and rose, rubbing her eyes, "but I'm going to bed now. 'Night!" She leaned over and kissed Kagome, then Sango goodnight. She paused when she got to Miroku, then turned and ran…right into Sesshoumaru's camp!

Kitana was surprised. She didn't think he liked humans. Just a vibe she'd been getting.

Seeing her opportunity, she leaned over and whispered, "So, what's Sesshoumaru's story?"

Everyone rolled their eyes, and Kouga looked confused in his frozen state. Inuyasha heatedly replied, "He's an asshole, and he hates everybody. Don't even try to figure him out, it's impossible."

Kagome snorted. "For you, maybe!"

Inuyasha grunted in response.

"Look, Sesshoumaru hates humans, or at least he did. He told me the other day that he only hates some humans, but I don't think he hates demons, he just doesn't seem to get along with anyone lower in status than he."

"Except _you_." Inuyasha grumbled, but Kagome chose to ignore this comment.

Kouga reddened at hearing this, his cheeks thawing slightly.

"For the longest time, we thought he hated everybody, until Rin showed up following him three years ago; she's been with him ever since. She told me that some wolves had killed her-" Kouga rolled his eyes in their direction, "-and that Sesshoumaru had brought her back to life. How, she didn't know, but I suspect he used the Tensaiga."

"Tensaiga?"

"Yes, the smaller of his two swords; it is used to heal."

"I see," Kitana said.

She turned to Inuyasha. "But aren't you two brothers?"

Inuyasha sniffed. "Unfortunately," he replied.

"You don't seem too close," she hedged, hoping he would tell her everything.

"We aren't; never have been. My mother was human, and he hates them, or so he told me, anyway. When our Father mated my Mother I guess he didn't like that, and tried to challenge our Father for supremacy; that was before I was born, the same day actually, or so old Totosai tells me, and Myouga confirmed his story."

"These are vassals of you Father's?" she guessed.

"Yeah, that's right. Anyway, after our old man died defending my Mother, I only saw him once between the time I was born and the day my Mother died of pneumonia. He came to see if we were still alive, at least that's what he said. I think he came to see just what I looked like, so he could track me down later and kill me, when I had the skill and the confidence to take him on. Of course," Inuyasha paused, "in retrospect, he couldn't kill me until he located Tetsusaiga…though he'd tried several times. I've been told that while I was pinned to the Sacred Tree for fifty years, Jaken actually came to seek my help in supporting Sesshoumaru's campaign against the Panther Devas, but I had been dead at the time, and was of no use. I guess he didn't expect me to come anyway, but that never stopped him from lashing out at me every chance he got."

Kagome looked at her hands as he spoke, as did everyone else. Only Kitana kept her eyes upon his face as he continued to speak. He'd told her more than she'd thought he would.

"You know, it's funny, but he had a perfect chance to get rid of me when I was stuck to that damned tree; I wonder why he never did?"

"Because, there is no honour in striking down a defenceless opponent, Inuyasha; only a coward like Naraku would think of stooping so low." Miroku unfolded his hands in his lap, and massaged the Wind Tunnel absently.

"I guess so," Inuyasha concurred, deep in thought.

_Hmm_, Kitana thought, glancing again at Sesshoumaru, watching as the little girl reached her face up to kiss his cheek goodnight, and he returned the favour, planting a quick peck on her forehead.

Smiling brightly, she impulsively threw her arms around his neck, and he stiffened, but relaxed almost immediately; Kitana could almost read his mind. He was likely thinking, _why does this child love me so much? She's nothing but a helpless human, a germ, a burden…a companion, a cute and amusing one at that_.

She smiled, and when he saw her, he pulled Rin off and curtly told her to go to sleep.

Rin, unruffled, chirped, "Yes, my Lord!" and did as he bid her, without refusal.

_So_, Kitana thought, _he does have a soft side…I wonder if I can bring it out_…

"Kitana?"

"Hmm?" Her thoughts were interrupted by Kagome.

"Will you join us, and help us destroy Naraku? We would greatly appreciate it?"

"Sure," she replied, and stood, taking an extra blanket and spreading it out.

"No one threatens to kill me and gets away with it!"

They all smiled, and went their separate ways, Kagome was wrapped in Inuyasha's arms as they both settled into her sleeping bag. Kitana smiled at them; they were so cute together. She'd gotten a feeling, as soon as she'd seen them, that those two belonged to each other; she had sensed it immediately. The monk seemed sweet on the slayer too, now that she thought about it.

She wished them all happiness.

For herself, she wished perseverance. Sesshoumaru was proving to be a tough nut to crack.

Kouga continued to thaw in the clearing, next to the fire.

Well, what do you think of the new girl? I think she fits in rather nicely, myself. Any comments are appreciated! I will now work diligently on this and try to type far enough ahead that I can update again soon. Ciao, my faithful followers!


	11. Chapter 11

Alright, people, I have typed a total of 95 pages for this thing, more than I've ever typed before. Scary, huh? Anyway, I know how much you hate to wait, so, even though I managed to type like, twenty pages today, I've given you half of it in this chapter. Hope you guys like!

Deds:

**Daoina** - Yep, she sure is after Fluffballs, she's got it for him baaaad! Lol! Like Water Kunoichi said, he needs love too! Whether or not she's working for Naraku...we'll see about that, but I doubt it.

**BoundxByxDeath** - I'm glad I'm causing an uprising in your house, it flatters me! She is pretty cool, I drew a sketch and, well...it turned out great! Maybe you'll see it soon...maybe, heeheehee! PS - Come on, love at first sight, your going into battle, wouldn't you want to make the most of your time together, 'specially when the feelings are mutual?

**Water Kunoichi** - Oh my God, I have finally located someone with a scanner, and soon, very soon, my friend, I will be sending my sketch to you! Yay! Do a little happy dance, woot! I'm so excited, can't ya tell?

Disclaimer: Why is this necessary again? Oh yeah, rights. Damns rights. Anyway, you know the drill, no money, no ownership, only ideas. Bite me.

**Every Time We Touch**

The following morning, Sesshoumaru was the first to rise. He went to wash his face as Kitana opened her eyes, and watched him walk away. Silently, she got up, and followed him.

Miroku , the last to wake, found Inuyasha with Kagome in his lap, whispering in her ear and watching her face turn pink. When he noticed Miroku's approach, he said something to her and she got up, looking for Sango.

Miroku sat down, and Inuyasha said, "What's on your mind, Miroku?"

"A lot, actually," Miroku confessed, and turned to face his friend. "Inuyasha, can you explain your inner demon to me? Why don't you turn all rabid when Kagome's time comes? Why do they?" He was referring to Sesshoumaru and Kouga.

Inuyasha scratched his head. "I know that Tetsusaiga controls my demon," he began, trying to figure it out himself. "I don't know why I don't freak out, though. Maybe it'd because I'm not a pureblood like the others. Kouga, though, well…his behaviour wasn't surprising; I've seen it happen before, but that was a long time ago."

Kouga turned his head from over by the fire, and glared in Inuyasha's direction. "I heard that!" he yelled. His legs were still frozen.

"Wanna come and see if I give a shit?" Inuyasha yelled back, then laughed; the wolf couldn't move yet if he tried. Kouga only glared as Inuyasha turned his head to the sound of someone clearing her throat.

"No more fights," Kagome mouthed, and Inuyasha sulked, but only for a moment before turning his attention back to Miroku, who had raised an eyebrow in his direction. Inuyasha frowned, and it went down. Kagome walked away then, to pack up. They were leaving today; they'd spent more than enough time resting, she thought, and it was time to get the hell back on the road and after Naraku again.

"There's not really much more I can tell you," Inuyasha confessed, and Miroku began to nod, but then Inuyasha added, "except that I believe that the inner demon is governed solely by instinct. Kouga may have no control because he's never practiced to keep it under wraps. Sesshoumaru, you know, before you and Sango came along, battled me in his full demon form, but he seemed to be able to do that at anytime he wanted. When we battled the Panthers, he seemed to have a hard time controlling it, but it never came out; I don't know if that's because Tensaiga gave him an idea to use it, or because his discipline was so refined that he could keep it in."

Miroku rubbed his chin, nodding. "Well, it definitely gives me something to think about," he said as he rose, "Thanks, Inuyasha."

"No problem."

"What were you guys talking about?" Kagome asked, returning as soon as Miroku had gone.

"Just about what happened yesterday," was all he said, and he watched her covertly to see what she would do. The blood drained from her face, and her shoulders lumped forward slightly. She was quiet.

He put a hand on her shoulder, and drew her close. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly, and she nodded, turning to nuzzle his neck as he brought both arms around her in a protective hug. She let him hold her for a few minutes, then backed up, saying, "Well, we won't find Naraku if we stay here. Shall we finish packing up?"

He smiled at her. "That's my girl," he said, and, following her, flung her bag over his shoulder and bellowed that it was time to go, so everyone hurry the hell up.

"And someone bring the fleabag," he said, gesturing to Kouga, who still could not move. Kouga growled, but Miroku poured hot water from the fire over his legs, and though he got burned, he could move again, and the first thing he did was walk purposefully toward the mutt.

When he got within ten feet, Kagome said, "Kouga, please don't. There is enough tension among us as it is. If we even hope to defeat Naraku, we have to stay united, as a team. If he senses any discord between us he'll use it against us, and I really don't want that to happen."

Kouga stopped, and looked at her feet. She was right. Turning, he walked back to where he'd been standing all night, and began to help Miroku roll up the sleeping bags.

Kitana peeked through the bushes. Her heart rate sped up as her eyes beheld a very sensual sight.

Sesshoumaru, waist deep in the pond, dunked his head under the surface; when he came up, he shook the water from his hair, sending crystalline droplets flying in every direction. She'd never seen a man so…so…beautiful. He was handsome too, but one couldn't help but use the word beautiful to describe his face. He was the picture of perfect masculinity, save the long hair, but that could be easily overlooked when one was gazing upon a shiny six-pack, a bulging bicep in his good arm, and a narrow pair oh hips that disappeared beneath the water, so she couldn't see what he was hiding down below.

She smirked to herself. She had no doubt that he wouldn't disappoint her. The fact that he was missing a limb made no never mind to her; she knew the goods when she saw them, damaged or not.

Sesshoumaru dunked his head and thought about blue hair…Damn, she was plaguing him worse when he was awake than when he had been asleep. All night he'd dreamed of taking her, making her his woman, and marking her. Over and over again, the same images had flickered through his tired mind, and he'd awoken this morning with a terrible headache and a hard-on he didn't dare let anyone see.

The blue-eyed woman had followed him, he knew; the wind shifted slightly, bringing her scent, but he made as if he didn't notice.

Kitana thought that know would be a good time to make her presence known. Stepping out from behind the bush, she leaned against a tree and said, softly, "_Very_ nice, Sesshoumaru. Very nice indeed."

He did not turn to face her, but he replied, "Like what you see, do you?" and he stood, walking from the pond, baring himself for her complete viewing pleasure. He took satisfaction in her inarticulate jaw-drop when she saw him, naked, walking toward her.

He came close, right in her face. She backed up a step, right into the tree.

"Are you interested in this?" he gestured at his body. She was quiet.

"Well?" he prompted.

"Maybe," she allowed, wondering where he was going with this. Last time she'd checked, men loved to be admired. _What was he up to?_ Was he trying to scare her off?

"Maybe? I don't believe you," he said, his voice like silk as he brought up a wet hand, and stroked her cheek. Seeing her eyes close in delight, then snap open to watch him, he smiled inside. _Did she want him?_ He'd have to ask to find out.

"This doesn't bug you?" He looked at his left arm, or what was left of it, anyway. Moving her gaze from his face to his arm and back, she let loose a chuckle and a small smile.

"You know what?" she said huskily, leaning toward his face, "that doesn't bug me at all."

He watched her eyes, looking for deceit; finding none, he leaned in toward her, and brushed her lips with his own. She shuddered at the first touch of his lips upon hers, and they pried hers open, skilfully, and kissed her like she'd never been kissed before. _He knows what he's doing_, she thought, before she thought no more and followed her body's instincts, and wrapped her arms around his neck, his wet hair soaking her sleeves.

One of her legs was pried open by one of his knees, and she brought it up to entwine around his own. He broke for air, and began to lick inside her ear, growling her name over and over again, moving his hands up and down her ribs, slowly, holding her still as he ravaged her. He'd been ready when he left the pond under her scrutiny, but he ached for her now, and she could feel his need growing between them, and he growled louder when one of her hands slowly made its way down his chest, over his abs, past a smooth, muscled hip, and inward toward him.

As soon as her hand grasped him, he brought both hands to rest upon her breasts, palpating and memorizing them. Their little tryst was about to be cut short; he could hear Inuyasha coming, quickly.

Kissing her hard, he released her, and said, "Go. We are no longer alone." and disappeared, using his demonic speed. She turned around to head back, when she ran into Inuyasha, his hands on his hips, before he suddenly crossed them, a frown growing on his face.

She smiled. "Good morning, Inuyasha," and passed him, a big grin on her swollen lips. Inuyasha sniffed her as she passed, and confirmed his suspicions. His scent was all over her.

He watched her leave, then walked around the tree. Sesshoumaru sat on a rock, tying his sash, then put both swords in it. "You done?" Inuyasha asked belligerently.

"You have eyes. What do you think?" he passed his brother, in an effort to put him behind him, but Inuyasha came abreast, looking at him like he'd grown another head.

"You like her, don't you?" he said, raising a brow.

"What makes you think that that is any of your business?" he asked frostily.

Inuyasha put up both hands. "Don't get your knickers in a twist, I was just asking."

Sesshoumaru frowned. _Where had he heard that phrase before?_

"My affairs are none of yours. I will do as I please." He walked away, leaving a skeptical brother behind. Inuyasha suspected that there was more going on between his brother and the new girl than either was letting on, but he supposed that that was fine; why should he care?

He was just amazed that any woman would find him attractive, he was so cold and stand-offish. His words were sharper than his swords, and as far as he knew, Sesshoumaru had no experience with women…except Kagome. His anger rose, then fell.

He thought it more than likely that Sesshoumaru had experience, but he wouldn't know because he never told him. He never told anybody. He guarded his past more closely than he seemed to guard the little girl he allowed to follow him. Inuyasha wondered what Sesshoumaru was trying to hide.

When Kitana emerged from the bush, Kagome smiled and waved her over. They were all ready to go.

"You were the last person to see Naraku, Kitana," Miroku said, coming to stand next to Kagome.

"Which direction was his castle?"

"He wasn't in any castle," she said thoughtfully. "I was walking through the forest, looking for my brother. He appeared out of nowhere and asked me to assassinate someone, and that he'd pay me. The amount he offered was enough that I couldn't refuse," she recounted, ashamed of her lack of funds.

Miroku frowned, but Kagome said, "Well, it's a start. Which direction did you come from? Maybe if we backtrack, someone will pick up a scent we can follow."

Kitana turned Northwest, and pointed toward a mountain range in the far distance. "I came from that way," she said, "but I doubt we'll find him, I saw neither a castle nor smelled him until he was practically on top of me, so I don't think we'll get much info. But, like you said, it's a start."

As soon as Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were spotted coming from the same bush Kitana had emerged from, the group moved out, Kitana in the lead. Sesshoumaru came up behind her, and then came abreast, and said, "Are we following your direction?"

She nodded, and when he glanced at her, gave him a secret smile.

"I see," he said, revealing nothing, though she could smell his arousal still, though very faintly. A female's nose was extremely sensitive to a male's arousal, but not her own, and vice versa for males. That was why Inuyasha could only smell Kitana's scent on Sesshoumaru, but not his arousal. He was blind to the scent. He did, however, smell Kitana's, and it made him all the more suspicious, and he had a feeling he'd interrupted something back there in the forest. It gave him a little burst of pleasure, knowing that he was cramping his brother's style. _Serves him right, the bastard_, he thought maliciously, through the smile on his face.

Kagome sidled up next to him, and took his hand in hers. He smiled at her, all thoughts forgotten.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked, curious.

"Nothing," he answered. "Am I forgiven for earlier? I'm sorry I flew off the handle like that, but he just makes me so mad!"

Kagome rubbed her hand up and down his arm, soothing his ruffled feathers. "Yes, you are forgiven, but remember, you and Sesshoumaru have to put your differences aside for now. Naraku will surely try to use your hatred for each other to his own advantage, and the last thing we want to do is give him more advantages than he already has." She fingered her fraction of the jewel at her neck. It was very small compared to what Naraku had collected, and she feared the worst when they finally tracked him down.

Inuyasha sighed, "I know," he mumbled, "but he just makes it so hard. Maybe someone should be telling all this to him, not me."

"You need to hear it. Sesshoumaru already knows, and besides, it takes two to tango; it wasn't completely his fault. We're all tense, and it makes us touchy. Neither of you can solely blame the other."

He grunted this time. Kagome decided it was time to change the subject.

"So, what do you think of Kitana?"

"Kitana? She's alright, I guess. We haven't seen her fight; only Sesshoumaru has, and I don't hear him showering her with praise. She couldn't even kill him, and she calls herself a mercenary for hire? Obviously she's not a very good one."

Kagome replied patiently, "Maybe she hasn't be at it for very long. And it's a good thing she didn't; we need him."

He said nothing, only stared at the blue-haired girl and his brother, leading the way, and barely speaking.

"You know," he confided, lowering his voice, "I think those two are hot for each other."

Kagome whipped her gaze to his face and let out a guffaw. "What? How do you know that? They only met yesterday!"

Inuyasha grinned. "When I went to find Sesshoumaru to tell him to hurry the hell up, I passed her, and she was coming from the pond, the scent of arousal and my bastard brother _all over_ her."

Kagome's eyes widened at this juicy tidbit.

"Really?"

"Yeah, and Sesshoumaru was just finishing getting dressed when I found him, and her scent was all over him, too. When I asked him about it, he got all cold and was like, 'My business is none of yours', and some shit like that." He was nodding his head.

Kagome giggled. "Definitely suspicious," she agreed, and he laughed.

"Glad to know you agree. I thought for sure everyone would think I'm losing it. I mean, come on, who'd believe that Sesshoumaru could even like a woman, let alone make out with her?"

There was an awkward silence as Inuyasha's words sunk into his brain. Kagome just got red. _Yeah, about that_…she was thinking. They were quiet and couldn't look at each other until Kagome nudged him.

"It's in the past, and it means nothing. We should just forget all about it."

"Good idea," he said, though he knew that was easier said than done. Just the thought of Sesshoumaru kissing Kagome made him see red, but he restrained himself - for her sake.

They were quiet again for a moment. "You know, maybe you're right," Kagome said, thinking out loud.

"Right about what? Them?" He pointed to Kitana and Sesshoumaru.

"Yeah. I mean, she really seems to like him. I can't help but feel this…vibe…from her, and I really think you're right about them having it bad for each other. Sesshoumaru can't reveal his feelings, right? I mean, if we go into battle and he's real friendly with her, Naraku will know right away and use it against them, but she doesn't know that, and it's obvious when she looks at him what she's feeling. Maybe someone should enlighten her about showing her emotions."

"Well, if anyone knows about that, it's Sesshoumaru. I've never seen anyone remain so stone-faced for as long as he has. I've never seen him act any differently."

"Well, you know Inuyasha, maybe there's a reason he is the way he is. We really shouldn't judge a book by it's cover."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that we shouldn't judge Sesshoumaru if we don't know his whole story. He may not have always acted like this."

Inuyasha thought about that. She was right, he realised, and looked at her lovingly. She was so thoughtful. He shook his head. She continued.

"I'm willing to bet that he was just like any other normal person until something happened in his life to make him as hard as he is."

Inuyasha widened his eyes. _He knew what had made his brother this way!  
_

"It was his Mother," he said, deep in thought, and Kagome said, "His Mother? What about his Mother?"

He decided now was a good time to share with Kagome his experience in the Afterlife.

"That night, when I died, I saw my Father, and we talked. He said something about Sesshoumaru not being the same since his Mother died, but he didn't tell me what happened to her. I never even thought to ask."

Kagome hugged his arm tighter. "How come you never told me?" she asked.

"I'd forgotten about it, till now when you brought it up," he replied, and she said, "No, I mean why didn't you tell me you'd seen your Father?"

"Oh," he shrugged, "I don't know. I wasn't ready to talk about it I guess. Are you mad?"

She smiled, "No, I'm happy for you. I know you'll never admit it, but it meant a lot to you, seeing him again, didn't it?"

He only looked back at her, the look on his face unreadable.

"Just as I thought," she sighed, "stubborn to the very core. God help us if our children turn out anything like you. Though these ears are to die for." She rubbed one between her fingers.

He looked at her, trying to discern what she meant. "What do you mean by that?" he finally asked, point blank.

She giggled. "I'm not pregnant, if that's what you're implying. Not yet, as far as I know anyway."

She winked.

He felt himself begin to panic. He had no idea what Naraku would do if word got out that Kagome was expecting his child.

"You're sure?" he stopped her and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her, as if he could shake the truth from her.

"I'm sure," she said, slightly annoyed at his behaviour, "let go, will ya? We won't get anywhere if you keep this up!"

"Maybe we shouldn't have sex for a while," he muttered, and she said indignantly, "And why not? I thought you loved me more than that!"

"I do," he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her close, his eyes on the ground that passed beneath them. "I just don't want you to get hurt. If Naraku knew, and tried to hurt you to get to me, or just for the sake of hurting us both, I don't know what I'd do."

She was touched by his concern, and her anger melted away.

"Alright," she agreed, "we won't have anymore unprotected sex. Not until Naraku is dead. But no later!" She smiled, and he got the feeling she had something planned.

"Unprotected?" For some reason an image of Tetsusaiga flashed through his mind when he said this.

She dug into the bag on his back, and pulled out a little box.

"What's that?" he asked, taking it from her and sniffing it.

"Medication. My mother made me go to the doctor and get a prescription for it last time I was home," she said, and he shook the box; a tiny rattling could be heard inside.

He opened it, and a foil package fell into his hand, several yellow pills dotting its surface.

"What are these?"

"Pills. In my time you can take pills that prevent you from getting pregnant. They help your skin too, or so I'm told. It's called Birth Control."

"How does it work?"

"I eat them, one every day, and we can have as much sex as we want, and I won't get pregnant!"

He looked at her. "Are you serious?" he was liking the sound of this better all the time!

"Completely. Isn't that convenient? Now we don't have to worry about Naraku finding out a thing, because it can't happen as long as I'm on those pills!"

He leaned over and kissed her, then popped one of the little yellow lumps out of the foil, and handed it to her.

She raised a brow at him. "Eager, aren't we?"

He only grinned.

She grunted, but ate the pill, taking a swig of water from her water bottle when it got stuck in her throat.

Putting both the water and the pills back in her bag, she took Inuyasha's hand once again and followed the others, smiling as he stuck his tongue in her ear. He was going to be hard to resist until tonight, there was no doubt in her mind.

Sango looked behind her, where Kagome walked next to Inuyasha, his face in her ear. Behind them followed Kirara, Shippo sitting on her back, Ah-Un carrying Rin, and Storm, Kitana's silver dragon.

She nudged Miroku, and whispered, "Look at those two back there, carrying on as if no one's looking."

He smirked her face, so close to his own. "Are you jealous, Sango?"

Her cheeks flamed as she glared at him, and she spat, "No!" turning away to hide her smile.

_Okay, so what if she was jealous?_ She remembered her plan to grope Miroku from a few days ago, and snickered. All she had to do was wait for the right moment…

It came when she felt his hand slide over her backside, and she stiffened. Immediately he drew it away, knowing what was coming. He braced himself for the slap and the screamed, "Hentai!", but neither came.

Instead, he jumped and yelped, "Holy monkey!" as her hand found it's way over his behind, squeezing what little of it she could find. _He has no ass_, she thought disappointedly. She smiled at his reaction though, and Kagome pointed and laughed, Inuyasha extracting his face from her ear long enough to add his two cents.

"Way to go Sango! How does it feel, Miroku? What a schmuck." His face returned from whence it came, but this time Kagome had turned her lips to meet him, and soon they were deeply absorbed in one another once again.

Kouga followed behind them, in front of the animals. _Show-offs_, he was thinking, disgusted at the lack of attention he was getting. First, Kagome snubbed him, and then the new girl embarrassed him in front of everybody. _I must be losing my touch_. He laughed though when Sango groped Miroku. That was funny.

He sighed. Where were those two dumasses, Ginta and Hakkaku, when he needed a little company? _In your dust, still following your trail somewhere_, he reminded himself. He felt so depressed. Everyone was getting some love but him; even Sesshoumaru, though he tried not let on that he was madly in love with Kitana. Kouga suspected it; she seemed to prefer his company over anybody else's, even the girls'. Whether or not Sesshoumaru returned her sentiments, only time would tell, but Kouga suspected nonetheless.

Soon the land began to slope downward. They would approach a deep ravine within the next hour. It was dark, and the territory unknown. They slowed their progress.

Sesshoumaru held up his hand, indicating the group behind him to halt. They did, and crowded in close to hear what he had to say.

"I don't like this ravine," he said, keeping his voice low. "Anything could be lurking in there, just waiting to pick off one of you helpless humans." His gaze settled on Kagome as he said this. She covertly gave him the finger, and Kitana smiled; Sesshoumaru had set himself up for that one. He snorted.

"I agree," Kouga spoke up, looking to see Kitana's reaction. She ignored him.

Inuyasha turned to Kagome. "They're right. Let's check it out first. Shippo, you and the animals watch the girls and Miroku, okay? Don't abandon them either. I know what a coward you can be."

Shippo stuck out his tongue at the hanyou; Inuyasha didn't notice. Kagome ruffled his hair, soothing his ire.

"Let's move out," Sesshoumaru exclaimed, and all three demons took off in a different direction, planning to meet on the other side of the ravine, to confirm that it was safe to pass through.

The rest of the group sat down to wait.

Sesshoumaru reached the designated meeting point first. His stroll through the dankness of the ravine had been uneventful; the only thing he'd seen was a squirrel. His nose twitched as he sniffed the air. It was faint, but it was there. He'd picked up the scent of their nemesis, Naraku.

He waited slightly impatiently for the others to show.

Kouga came next. Looking disappointed. He'd hoped to run into some evil demon and take out his pent-up frustrations on it, but none were to be found. He shook his head at Sesshoumaru's inquiring look. "Safe," he confirmed, and Sesshoumaru nodded curtly.

Kouga stood next to the Lord, and eyed him covertly. He was handsome, he supposed, but he felt himself to be better looking in a rugged, outdoorsy sort of way. He felt he had much sex-appeal, but reactions lately proved otherwise. He wished he had a mirror. _Was his face dirty or something?  
_

His mind strayed to the new girl, Kitana, and her attachment to Sesshoumaru. He decided to do a little probing.

"That new girl's really something, huh? I mean, the bod on her is excellent. I wouldn't mind a piece of that."

Sesshoumaru wanted to growl a warning, but to do so would only confirm what he was sure the wolf was angling for - proof of his emotions, his feelings toward the girl.

Sesshoumaru shrugged, nonchalant. "She's not bad," he allowed, his voice void of any feeling whatsoever.

Kouga frowned; even his interrogation skills were slipping! _Godammit!  
_

"Even so," he tried again, "that's a choice piece of ass, right there. If she were my woman she'd have no complaints in the love department, if you know what I mean."

Sesshoumaru turned his head, and Kouga backed up a step, fearing he'd gone too far, but the cool look on Sesshoumaru's face told him everything he needed to know. The demon Lord may be made of stone, but Kouga had just managed to squeeze blood from him, in a manner of speaking.

Unable to stop himself, he smiled, and Sesshouamru's eyes flickered; he was pissed off.

"Listen, wolf," he hissed, moving so that his face was scant inches from Kouga's, "you say a word about this to anyone, especially her, _I will kill you_. If you come on to her in any way I construe as a threat, _I will kill you_. If you so much as look at her the wrong way, _I will kill you_. Do I make myself clear?"

Kouga swallowed the lump in his throat. Once again, the demon Lord's eyes were right in front of his own, and once again it had been a terrifying experience.

"Yeah, no problem, that's cool," he said quickly, realising that he was bent over backwards, and that Sesshoumaru was towering over him, a monolith of huge proportions, powerful enough in his state of mind at the moment to take on Naraku and an entire horde of demons, and come out victorious. "I don't know nothing about it," he added, trying to soothe Sesshoumaru's ruffled feathers.

"See that it remains that way," Sesshoumaru growled fiercely, as Inuyasha came bounding toward them.

Kouga watched with awe as Sesshoumaru managed to compose himself so that Inuyasha would suspect nothing amiss, his face so calm and serene that it revealed absolutely nothing that had just occurred between them.

_Now that takes training_, he thought, impressed. Maybe if he kept quiet, Sesshoumaru would agree to teach him how he did that. Kouga knew he could really use some lessons in self-discipline, and this guy seemed to have it in spades. All he needed was a little persuasion; maybe a little blackmail would work if the demon Lord didn't see things his way.

"Nothing that way," Inuyasha puffed, skidding to a halt before them. Sesshoumaru nodded.

"Good. We can safely retrieve everyone and begin to follow that bastard hanyou."

Inuyasha and Kouga exchanged a glance, and sniffed the air, hard. Kouga widened his eyes; he smelled it! But it was so faint, he would have missed it unless he'd been looking for it. Now that he'd found it, though, it became slightly stronger, and more potent. In fact, it seemed to be getting stronger by the minute.

Inuyasha was still sniffing as Sesshoumaru commented, "He is leaking his scent. He knows where we are. We must hurry."

Taking off, he retraced his steps back to the group, Inuyasha and Kouga hot on his heels.

Kitana watched as Kagome and Sango, with little Rin in front of them, finished their dance routine, and she clapped when they stopped, thoroughly impressed.

"Whoo! That was great!" she hollered, and Shippo glanced idly over at them, sucking a lollipop and reclining back on Storm's head, where he could watch the whole camp. If one were to watch him closely, they would see his eyes were half shut, and he occasionally sniffed, the very picture of male confidence. He was so relaxed, in fact, that he'd drifted off several times already, but was continuously re-awoken by Kitana's shouts and whistles.

Kitana jumped up off the boulder she'd been sitting cross-legged on and said, "Okay, teach me!"

Kagome and Sango smiled and rolled their eyes at each other. "We might as well," Sango said, spying Miroku returning from his potty break, "who knows how long it'll take them to get back?"

They'd shown Kitana their routine while he was gone, because they weren't ready to show the boys the results of all their practicing just yet.

So, when Miroku looked up after freeing his robes from a tenacious thorn bush, all he saw were the girls grouped together, listening to their music and teaching a new step to Kitana. Rin watched tiredly as Kitana quickly picked up the step, and she yawned as they moved onto another while he sat down and kept a wary eye for the demons' return or any stray demons they were not familiar with, for Shippo was once again sleeping on the job.

His lollipop fell out of his mouth and landed with a _click!_ on the rocks beneath Storm, cracking into tiny pieces. Shippo didn't even wake up when Storm lowered his head and began to lick up what was left of the shattered candy, chewing it up and licking the roof of his mouth for the next couple of minutes.

Miroku soon grew bored; there was nothing to do. _What was taking them so long?_ Reaching over, he picked up Shippo's bag of candy and began to peruse its contents. Grinning, he dug out a Mars bar and said, "Eureka!"

Kirara rolled her huge head to watch him as he ripped off the wrapper and began to eat. The smell of the chocolate attracted her, so, transforming into her kitten form, she bounded over and planted her butt right in front of Miroku, and gave him her 'kitten eyes', begging for a bit of the chewy chocolate bar.

Ah-Un, watching the whole scene with great interest, lumbered over and sat behind the monk, wrapping his tail around him and looking mournfully into his chocolate-covered face from over his left shoulder.

Miroku noticed nothing as he enjoyed the candy bar, his eyes closed as he savoured the caramel and nougat inside the delicious milk-chocolate coating. Kirara mewed, loudly. Ah-Un rumbled, and soon Storm, having licked all the lollipop fragments out of his molars, also came over to complete the little circle of demons around the monk.

When Miroku finished, he opened his eyes to the sight of three new best friends, who all looked at him hopefully. Shippo, still sleeping, snored loudly atop Storm's massive head, so Miroku shrugged and thought, _He's got so much junk in here he won't notice if we eat some of it. Besides, he'll thank me later, for saving him from getting fat_.

"So, you all want some candy, do you?" They all nodded in response.

"Well, let's see what we've got here." Rummaging in the bag, he came up with a Tootsie Roll.

"Who wants this?" he asked, and Storm snorted loudly, after he'd passed the candy beneath each demon's nose.

"Okay, this goes to Storm." Storm ate the candy, wrapper and all, and would chew it for the next half hour, then proceed to lick the roof of his mouth - again - for another hour after that.

Next, Miroku pulled out a Snickers bar. Kirara claimed it, so, this time, making sure it was unwrapped before feeding it to her, he placed the chocolate bar on the grass where Kirara sat, and she daintily began to lick at the chocolate, occasionally stopping to clean her face with her tiny paws.

Lastly, Miroku studied Ah-Un carefully and, after the dragon huffed on him impatiently, he decided on the perfect piece of sugary confectionary for the beast.

Pulling out a giant box of orange Tic Tacs, he fed the entire thing to the two-headed dragon, hoping to at least make its breath smell better. He looked around; Jaken, as he'd hoped, was over by the girls, prodding Rin to wake up before Lord Sesshoumaru came back for them, and was paying no attention whatsoever to his activities.

Chuckling, thinking that this had been a clever idea (the idea being that he would kill two birds with one stone here (satisfy the dragon and freshen its terrible breath)), he was totally unprepared for the small ball of orange fur that attacked his face, screaming, "You dummy! Those were _my_ Tic Tacs! Fox Fire!"

He rolled out of the way just in time, but he didn't escape altogether. His rat-tail was on fire, and he patted it out, hissing as he burned his hand.

All the commotion had scattered the little menagerie around the monk, and everyone who had been previously ignoring him now stared open-mouthed; _what was he doing over there?_

Shippo ran to Kagome, and climbed up her leg to her waiting arms, bawling his little eyes out. She rubbed his back and made soothing noises as he sobbed out, "Miroku fed my Tic Tacs to Ah-Un, Kagome, and he _knew_ they were my favourite!"

Miroku turned a shade of crimson Sango didn't know he was capable of. Her heart went out to the little fox-boy; they all knew how precious the orange mints were to him; how could Miroku do such a thing?

Stalking over to him, she said, "That was a terrible thing to do to Shippo, you asshole! Apologise!"

Miroku, scared for his life, ran to Shippo and said, "I'm so sorry Shippo, it's just that that dragon's breath was so bad that I thought maybe if I fed it some Tic Tacs would make it bearable! It wouldn't leave me alone, I was dying from the stench, can't you understand?"

Shippo only howled louder, and Kagome glared at Miroku, and his heart sank. Sango stood behind him, and gave him a hearty _whack!_ off the back of his head, stunning him.

Shippo laughed, and all the girls smiled.

"Do it again!"

Again, Sango smacked Miroku, her own smile growing.

"Let me try!" Kitana wound up her arm and delivered a _smack!_ to end all smacks. Still Miroku didn't go down, but he was so stunned he never saw what was hitting him.

"Feels pretty good," Kitana said, and Sango nodded.

"Makes me feel pretty good, too!"

Kagome wondered out loud, "I wonder if we've retarded him. That many smacks can't be healthy."

"Who cares?" Sango said, smacking him once more when it looked as though he was coming around. "As you would say, Kagome, 'it's therapeutic!' "

"You don't even know what that means!" Kagome giggled, and Rin asked, "Can I try?"

"Sure, sweetheart. Give him a good kick in the shin. Shippo still feels cheated. I think Miroku needs to learn this lesson, _but good_. Go ahead, kick him."

Rin drew back her foot and was about to connect it with the monk's shin when he seemed to regain his senses, and jumped out of the way, bumping into Kagome, who flew into Kitana, who was pushed into Sango, who landed under a teetering Rin, her foot having been flung out from under her with the momentum as she missed the monk. Soon, there was a pile of writhing limbs on the ground, and it was all Miroku's fault.

Being the first to fall, naturally he'd landed on the bottom of the pile. He winced as an elbow was jammed into his ribs, and a foot squashed his ear. His face was forced into the dirt by someone's knee, and all the while he thought, _Penance is such a bitch. I **knew** this was gonna cost me_.

Haha! Miroku made a mess of everything! What a schmoe. Anyway, yeah, review, it inspires me to keep going, especially when the plot is thickening and I have no choice but to delve deep into Sessy's past...damn, this guy's complex. What a bum! Anyway, I'll be receiving my scanned sketch on a floppy on Sunday night, so keep your eyes peeled, especially you, Water Kunoichi! Later!PS - If you want to see my work, email me, and I'll send you a copy!


	12. Chapter 12

Okay, people, suffering writer's block, _again_, so forgive me if updates are slow. I have a headache and I worked overtime again today too, so bear with me, if you will be so kind.

Deds:

**Terra34** - Here it is. Enjoy. I feel like crap. One of us should at least be happy.

**Water Kunoichi** - I dunno what will happen when they meet. If they meet at all. I'm having a blockage, I'm sorry, and the girl who's scanning my pic is forgetful, so it's gonna be a while longer, but I'll ride her ass about it if I have to. Is that thunder, or my mother?

**Kouga's Archi** - Correct, I am female, though your enthusiasm is greatly appreciated so your forgiven. For what, you ask? I dunno, I think I'm getting a cold, finally. I been waiting on this for two weeks. Here I go.

Disclaimer: Feeling sick, screw off, not in the mood, I kill you!

**Every Time We Touch**

Sesshoumaru arrived back first, and looked with disdain on the wiggling pile of bodies. He strode to Ah-Un, to saddle him up, for they were leaving right away.

The beast greeted him with a grunt, and, bending over to sling the massive saddle over its back, Sesshoumaru stopped mid-way. _What_ was that smell?

He dropped the saddle, and stared Ah-Un in the eye. Grabbing one of its two heads, he pried open its mouth and took a long draw of its breath into his nose.

_Orange?_ he thought, spying the empty box of Tic Tacs on the ground. It was soaked; apparently Ah-Un had been licking it clean. Holding it between a clawed thumb and index finger, he read the box.

_Breath Mints, eh? Well, you certainly needed them_, he thought, looking askance at the beast whose heads followed his hand as he moved it, anxious to get back to licking.

Tossing the box away, he snarled, "Jaken!" and the imp came running, having been laughing at the human dog-pile. Ah-Un's heads followed the flying box forlornly.

A bright light flashed and both looked up; Inuyasha held a tiny box to his face, and with his thumb, turned a little wheel; it made a creaking noise, and he held the box to his face again.

"Inuyasha, no!" Kagome cried, trying to claw her way out from under Kitana, "I only have five pictures left on that camera!"

"Don't you think this is picture-worthy?" he asked, laughing as another flash brought spots to Kouga's eyes. Kouga was trying to see the box more closely through the swimming green spots as Inuyasha waved it around, making his point, which was:

"Seriously, all you idiots are going to remember this one. I come back and you're all in a heap! Ha! I'd be crazy _not_ to take a picture!"

When he flung it back again, his arms opening wide to illustrate this point, Kouga had leaned a little too close and Inuyasha's hand smacked him in the nose.

Yowling, he brought both hands to his face, and when he took them away, they were covered in blood.

"Dammit, mutt, are you trying to kill me?" he yelled, but Inuyasha laughed.

Kagome, having straightened herself out and helped the others up, sent Rin over to Sesshoumaru before turning to her mate, and smacking him upside the head.

"Ow!" he yelped, "what was that for?"

"Now you're both in pain! Doesn't it feel nice not to be lonely?" her sarcasm burned him, and he stopped making fun of Kouga. He was happy though when Kagome simply showed Kouga how to tip his head back and pinch the bridge of his nose, to staunch the bleeding, before she came right back to him and began to rub the sore spot on his head, and soon he was leaning into her, his foot thumping the ground rapidly; she was turning him on! _His ears were in heaven!  
_

While everyone dusted themselves off, Miroku asked, "Did you find anything? Is it safe to pass?"

Inuyasha mumbled, "Oh yeah, sure. There's nothing in there. We did pick up Naraku's scent on the other side, though."

Everyone who hadn't been with them stopped in their tracks. _Naraku was close by? Were they finally back on his trail again after losing it so many times?  
_

Sesshoumaru finished saddling the dragon and replied, "That bastard's leaking his scent, and he knows where we are. The quicker we find him, the better."

Rin looked up at Sesshoumaru and smiled; he had to send her away, but he regretted the action before he'd even put it in motion. She would be disappointed if she couldn't come, but she knew better than to object to his wishes. Still, he knew Jaken and the dragon would look after her should he not make it…but he wouldn't think about that.

Smacking the two-headed beast's ass, he sent Rin and the imp off; the dragon would take them someplace safe.

"Let's go, people!" he shouted, and everyone picked up their stuff, and falling into single file behind him, as he led the way down the steep slope into the dark, damp ravine.

Kagome held onto Inuyasha's sleeve for reassurance as they travelled cautiously through the ravine, the path winding around in circles and doubling back on itself several times. She was afraid; there was something about this place, something she couldn't put her finger on, but it gave her the creeps. She clutched the fire-rat robe tighter, and he turned to smile at her. She offered a very brief smile in return before it dropped away and she concentrated on where she was stepping, a frown growing on her pale face. There were roots sticking up everywhere, and boulders often stuck out far enough into the path that they almost completely blocked it; they could only slip by sideways, one at a time.

Kitana wanted to be behind Sesshoumaru, but unfortunately she'd wound up behind Kouga, who kept turning to look at her. His nose had stopped bleeding, but the bottom half of his face was covered in dried blood, and some of it smeared now as he swiped a hand across it; she imagined it was incredibly itchy. However, she began to grow tired of his suggestive looks as they picked their way through the darkness, the only light filtering in dappled patches through the thick canopy above.

Miroku and Sango were silent, but he held her hand firmly, and she blushed, happy.

Bringing up the rear were Kirara and Shippo; Storm had flown overhead, to await them on the other side, but that had been an hour ago; it was taking longer than anticipated for the group to find its way through.

Sesshoumaru turned his head and held up a hand: _stop_.

They all froze, and no one made a sound. Kagome felt herself begin to panic, and she bunched up the sleeve in her hands, and Inuyasha backed up so she could be closer to him. She clutched at him for dear life in her fear, and he felt her shaking.

A tiny _crack!_ was heard, but still they remained, unmoving, waiting for the assailant to reveal himself.

After five minutes of complete silence, in which they couldn't even hear any birds singing or any bugs flying past, everyone was wound up tight enough to snap.

Sesshoumaru was desperately reaching out with his senses, trying to discern another demonic presence, but was getting nowhere fast; Inuyasha kept one hand firmly around Tetsusaiga's handle, and the other around Kagome; Kagome held her bow, an arrow notched, but she began to tremble from the strain of keeping it drawn back as she looked around frantically, searching the dark around her for impurity as the moments ticked by.

Miroku and Sango held their weapons at the ready, Sango resting her left hand on the handle of her katana.

Kitana, herself, was busy absorbing the moisture in the air; if they were attacked, she would shoot ice shards sharp enough to decapitate any common demon at its face, whatever it was. She held her whistle to her lips, ready to blow into it if anything happened.

Shippo cowered behind Kirara's huge head, but the firecat herself only growled, and sniffed.

_Nothing yet_…

The ground shook, then stilled. They all exchanged a look. It came again, and disappeared just as quickly. Instinctively, they gathered into a tight little knot on the path, everyone facing out, their backs to each other. Shippo hid in the middle, protected.

The ground shook again, and Kagome said, "Something's coming."

Indeed, the shaking they felt were footsteps; but what crushed the forest around them and tore up the trees frantically was not at all what they suspected.

When they saw the trees surrounding them disappear into the air, all pointed their weapons upward, but they all stopped when Kitana shouted, "No! Don't!"

Inuyasha turned to look at her as if she were crazy.

"It's Storm," she explained, and blew three times on that cursed whistle, and Inuyasha, Kouga, Shippo, Sesshoumaru and Kirara all winced in pain.

At last the sky above them was open to their view, and sure enough, hovering over them on massive wings and creating a mighty wind was Storm, who rapidly shrunk to their size.

Kitana ran to him, and he wrapped a silver wing about her.

"Were you worried when we took so long?" He nodded.

"I'm sorry, Storm. You scared us."

The dragon hung its head, and looked up sheepishly at her. She smiled.

"Did you smell Naraku out there?" The question fired at the dragon came from Sango, who gripped Miroku's hand in relief, still.

It nodded, urgently; it seemed to say that he was closer than before.

"Okay, we don't have time to dink around anymore. Storm, transform. Everyone, climb on."

The silver dragon began to grow, and soon was the size of the Hindenburg, or so Kagome guessed. She just hoped they didn't go down in flames like the ill-fated blimp did.

Using his wing, they all climbed up, Inuyasha and Kagome jumping on, Sesshoumaru flying.

When they were seated, the dragon took off, hovering higher and higher until it was clear of the forest, then taking to the sky so high that they were flying through clouds.

Kagome shuddered, and Inuyasha draped his haori over her, and pulled her into his lap. Kitana watched them from her position on Storm's head, where she sat alone. Sesshoumaru, though not far away, sat with his back to her, also watching everyone behind her. She sighed. She couldn't think of anything important anymore, like defeating Naraku; all she could see in her mind's-eye, be she asleep or awake, was long white hair, a sculpted body, and a face so handsome it would put the Greek Gods to shame.

She sighed again. She remembered the feel of his hands on her body, and his lips upon hers, kissing her with a skill she had been delighted to discover. She herself was no slouch when it came to bedsport; in fact, in her hometown, she had been quite the lover, and had had many admirers. She'd left them all behind that day though, when the war came to them and she and Koji had had to go.

Her parents were only a few months into their graves at that time, having lost a battle against a neighbouring clan of demons, a clan which they had been at odds with ever since their arrival from the continent.

That clan, having driven them out, took over their town and put up a barrier so they could never return. Turning to the war for employment, they battled and used their skills, winning battle after battle and, finally, when Kitana lost track Koji in the last war, she turned to mercenary work to see her through. She'd killed enough people and demons to be qualified for the job. She'd failed to kill Sesshoumaru, but she'd not given in without a fight, either.

Even so, when she'd first seen Sesshoumaru striding confidently through the forest two days ago, she'd thought him to be very handsome, but a tad arrogant. She could tell from the way he carried himself that he was utterly relaxed, where anyone else would have been cautious and attuned to their surroundings, ever watchful for enemies.

Not him, though. She sighed forlornly for a third time, for even though he'd kissed her, he had made no more moves toward her since, and she thought maybe he was angry with her, but about what, she couldn't guess.

She thought about asking Kagome for some insight into his behaviour; she seemed to know him pretty well. If she were to ask anyone who knew a lot about him, she supposed it would be Rin or the toad, but Rin was gone with the toad, and said toad had glared at her repeatedly since her arrival, for what reason, she had no idea.

_Yes, Kagome seems like the safest bet_, she thought, and got up to go sit next to the shivering girl and her dog-eared mate, Inuyasha.

Inuyasha glanced up as Kitana made herself comfortable in front of he and Kagome. She looked at the blue-haired girl from the warmth of Inuyasha's arms and smiled, her teeth chattering.

"What's on your mind, Kitana?"

"I'm just curious, but…is Sesshoumaru mad at me?"

Both Inuyasha and Kagome opened their eyes wide with surprise. Then Inuyasha frowned.

"Why should you care? It's not like he does."

Kitana gave him an icy glare.

Kagome elbowed him, and said, "Quiet you, and leave this to someone who _knows_ what she's talking about!"

Inuyasha mumbled something derogatory, but stopped when he felt a hand between his legs. He settled himself in and remained stone silent, enjoying her attentions and offering no more pearls of wisdom as the girls spoke quietly.

"What makes you think he's angry at you?"

Kagome was unsuspecting of what came after that; Kitana confessed to what had happened yesterday at the pond, and Inuyasha heard none of it as Kagome's fingers began to move more fervently, keeping his mind too occupied to pay any attention to her words. The last thing she needed was him bleating, "I told you so!" loud enough for the whole group to hear.

"Well, Kitana, Inuyasha and I were discussing this very topic yesterday, and he thinks Sesshoumaru does, in fact, like you very much, and what you've just told me confirms it. But don't be disappointed if he tends to neglect you; he's been on his own for a long time, and I think he has forgotten how to love a woman."

Kitana nodded, eagerly listening to every word Kagome had to offer.

"I think his actions now are proof of his affection for you."

She looked at Kagome funny. "You do?"

Kagome gave a wintry smile. "Yeah. I do."

Kitana was silent, thinking about this new bit of information.

Kagome sighed; _I guess I'm going to have to spell it out for her_.

"He's hiding his feelings for you, Kitana. He doesn't want anyone to suspect he loves you because he's afraid Naraku will sense it and hurt you to get to him, and I think if anything were to happen to you, he'd never be able to forgive himself if he couldn't save you; therefore, he sees his affection for you as a weakness, and will keep up his cool attitude toward you until Naraku is dead. Now, I can't speak for him when it comes to private moments, like yesterday," she took a breath, "but I think that he feels you are a Godsend, Kitana. It's been a long time for him, you know."

Kitana listened intently; Kagome's words were beginning to make sense.

"Look, I know what I know because Inuyasha will act the same way in battle. You guys all know we're mates, but Naraku doesn't; when we battle him, Inuyasha will act towards me as he always has: no kissing, touching, none of that will happen, for if it did, I would become an even bigger liability to Inuyasha than I already am. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

Kitana smiled. "Yes, I see. They ignore us because they love us, and don't want us to get hurt. I understand perfectly now, thank you."

Kagome patted her shoulder affectionately. "Give him time," she said, leaning close. "He'll come around. When we've finished our business with that asshole Naraku, everything will be wonderful, trust me. I've seen the way he looks at you; he's lovesick, that's for damn sure." She winked.

Kitana laughed, and smiled. Getting up, she went back to her spot on Storm's head, and kept a careful watch on the ground below, her fears finally assuaged.

Kagome stopped fondling Inuyasha and he came back to his senses, pouting. She giggled.

"You're so hot when you pout," she whispered huskily, and smiled when he retrieved her hand and replaced it at his groin.

"Just shut up and rub," was all he could grit out without howling his pleasure, and silenced his own cries by sucking her neck, which she bared for his perusal alone, her other hand playing daintily with his ear.

Oooh, a little hand-jobby goin' on there lol! He don't know how good he's got it, that boy! Anyway, like I said, updates may be slow, and I'm truly sorry for that. Do not give up hope; I won't abandon this story. A few reviews would be nice though...they're kinda scarce...but anyway, I promise to try to work this kink out of my writer's mind, okay's? Later dudes, _and_ dudettes!


	13. Chapter 13

Well, everyone, I know it's been a bit, but I'm posting what I have left in this story. I'm exorcising my writer's block by writing another short fic, which I will post here. You guys'll have to tell me whether it's any good, k?

Deds:

**Water Kunoichi** - Thanks for the very nice compliments, and I feel better now, but I'm sure my cold will make a comeback!

**Kouga's Archi** - Well, I dunno how lemony this'll be (I haven't edited it yet, but I'm about to), but I'll try, as soon as I get rid of this fucking writer's block! Ugh! My other fic is coming along nicely, though, I hope to finish it within the next 24 hours, yay.

Disclaimer: You know what to do, just don't sue!

**Every Time We Touch**

(Forgive this giant space. This thing is fucking pissing me off. What's with the font, and spacing? - I don't know, just bear with me, grrrr. Oh, NOW IT'S NOT DOING IT...FUCK IT!)

Naraku's castle, shrouded in the purple stains of miasma, came into view below.

"We've got a target!" Kitana shouted, and all came running the dragon's head to see where she pointed.

Sure enough, atop the mountain range, Naraku's barrier fluctuated, giving them brief flashes of his castle.

"Is he even there?" Sango asked, and Kitana said, "We'll find out. Storm, _stealth_!" She blew the whistle once, long and smooth.

The usual round of winces ensued, and the dragon flapped its massive wings, taking them higher.

"How does this work, Kitana? I don't understand. What does '_stealth_' mean?"

"It is a command Storm has been trained to respond to; stealth is a mode for him to assume. It means that he can mask his presence and those riding him, and he will circle above an intended target for up to three days at a time, and no one below can tell he's there, his wings are so silent, and he blends with the clouds, so no one can see him, either. In fact, I believe he can go invisible, for no one's seen us yet. And you've got to admit, he is a huge dragon; he'd be hard to miss, even if you weren't looking for him."

Kagome said, "He can circle without landing for three days?"

"Oh yes, easily. His endurance is incredible. And he makes no noise at all. He's the perfect spy transport."

Inuyasha glanced out to the right wing; it moved only every few minutes. He guessed they were circling, but couldn't feel any centrifugal sensation, so he couldn't be sure. When the wing did move, it moved fluidly, making no sound at all. He felt as if he were hovering just within a confusing mist of white cloud and grey air, for as they stood there, he could only catch glimpses of the ground below through breaks in the clouds.

They made themselves comfortable and took turns watching the castle through the clouds, and when night fell, still they hovered, but nothing of interest happened below.

It was Miroku's turn to watch the castle when he spied movement below. He snapped his fingers and Inuyasha came over. "What is it?"

"Down there, " he pointed, and Inuyasha could barely make out the figure in his night vision. He shook his head. It was no good.

Raising his hand and giving his brother the finger, he was rewarded when Sesshoumaru strode over, his eyes shimmering. "Are you trying to shorten your life, Inu-"

"Shut up, asswipe! I got you over here, now make yourself useful and tell us what that is down there, with your _superior_ vision."

Sesshoumaru peered over the side, and squinted in the darkness. Kagura had summoned her feather, and took off, in the direction they had come from. He smiled.

Both Inuyasha and Miroku saw it and said, "What?"

"Naraku has lost us."

"Really? This scheme of Kitana's worked?"

"It would appear that way." He stroked his chin in thought. The girl was more clever than he'd given her credit for.

"Then let's get him!" Inuyasha was about to call everyone together when Sesshoumaru held out his hand.

"No."

"What do you mean, 'No'? Now is the perfect time!"

"That's what he wants us to think. If it appears that he has lost us, he thinks it will draw us out, thinking we're catching him by surprise, when he was counting on us to react that way the entire time."

Miroku nodded, agreeing. Inuyasha huffed, and slipped Tetsusaiga back into the sheath, crossing his arms.

"We will wait, and bide our time. We will decide what to do when the wind witch comes back." It was Sesshoumaru's final word on the subject.

The boys relaxed then, and went to sleep. Only Kitana and Sesshoumaru remained awake.

Rising, Sesshoumaru sat himself next to the blue-haired demoness, and made himself comfortable. Finally, he spoke.

"I can't stop thinking about you."

"Nor I, you."

"I want you."

She turned to look into his hazy eyes, hooded with lust as he stared at her.

"Do you?"

He licked his lips, his throat was suddenly dry.

"More than anything."

She faced forward again, and brought her knees to her chin.

"No."

He blinked.

"Why not?"

"Because. You are not ready."

He began to feel angry at her. Why was she making this so difficult? No one was watching, for God's sake!

"And how do you know that?"

"You'd be surprised by what I know."

He closed his mouth, a retort ready, but bit it back. He couldn't push her. Maybe she was trying to tell him she wasn't ready? _She seemed ready enough at the pond yesterday_, his inner demon argued.

_Good point_, he thought, and inched a little closer to her.

"Give it up, Sesshoumaru," she said, her insides twisting. She hated to reject him, but he needed to stay focussed. He frowned, and, growling, moved to kiss her anyway. If she wasn't going to give in to him, he was going to take what he wanted, dammit!

He'd almost reached her, but she'd anticipated his thoughts, and she touched his nose, freezing him to the spot, just as she had done to Kouga.

His eyes narrowed, the only part of his body that would obey his mind. She shook her head sadly at him.

"This hurts me much more than it hurts you, you know," she said, and he gurgled something, angrily. It sounded like, "Unfreeze me, goddammit, or I'll kill you!"

She _tsked_ with her tongue.  
"

No, you wouldn't do that to me," she said, running her fingers over his sub-zero skin. Where her fingers touched it, the ice melted.

"I can't let you lose control of yourself," she whispered, and he quieted.

"If we are to be successful against this Naraku guy, we can't have you all feather-headed over me. Promise me that you'll ignore me when it comes down to the final fight. I don't want him thinking you love me. _I_ _won't be a liability to you_."

He widened his eyes. _Who had she been talking to?_ Was his love for her that obvious? Or had he given himself away by trying too hard to act normal? He didn't know.

"We will speak of this again when he has been defeated. Besides, we cannot let our guard down; he could be watching us."

Her words were true, he had to agree with her logic. He sighed. She was right. But she was so irresistible…

"Besides," she whispered, "I don't know what you want from me." Reaching over again, she touched him, and he thawed immediately, and shook out his hair, before coming close and saying, "I said I wanted _you_. What more do you want?"

She sighed. He didn't get it.

"I want to know _how_ you want me. Am I just going to be a one-night stand for you? Or are you ready to settle down? Because I'll tell you right now, I'm in no position to fool around. Besides, I'm not as young as I used to be, and mated life sounds very appealing right about now."

She knew if he wanted her as a mate, they would have to court each other in the proper tradition; he was a Lord, after all.

Sesshoumaru was quiet, thinking. Someone had once asked him the same question, many, many decades ago…

He awoke, and she was sitting on him, straddling his waist, and he smiled into eyes as golden as his own, though hers were much more beautiful.

"Good morning, you _animal_," she giggled, and stroked his bare chest, fully awakening - and arousing - him.

He yawned, and smiled lazily.

"Was it as good for you as it was for me?"

"Better." She licked a nipple. He gripped her hair.

"Ai…" he groaned, then regained control, and pulled her up to face him.

"What?"

He stared at her. She was so beautiful, and this past month spent with her had been heaven. He shuddered to think what his Father would do if he found out…but found that he really didn't care. He loved Ai, and he wanted to mate her.

_But what about supreme conquest?_ the little voice in his head niggled. He ignored it.

A shout came from the hall; someone was looking for his Father. Worried, both he and Ai climbed out of his bed and dressed, all thoughts of intimacy gone as they rushed out the door to see what the ruckus was about.

"My Lord!" a servant, huffing, ran down the hall to his Father's study, and met Inu no Taisho coming out.

"What is it? Speak!" he urged, for the servant was out of breath and could not speak.

"The Lady…Amaya…in danger…" was all he got out before Sesshoumaru saw red. Grabbing the servant, he shook him violently.

"What happened to her? Where is she?" His gut contracted to think that his Mother was in trouble, and neither he nor his Father were there to help her.

"She went after Ryuukotsusei again, on her own," he puffed, and Sesshoumaru threw him aside. _Why would she do that?_

"That crazy bitch," his Father muttered, going back into his study to get his swords. "I swear if she gets herself killed, I won't shed a tear."

Sesshoumaru glared at his Father's back. He knew his parents were at odds lately, but when his Father went back to his study, his heart hardened, for he didn't come back out immediately, and he thought he wasn't going to.

Sesshoumaru flung off Ai's hands as she tried to comfort him.

"Don't touch me!" he snarled, and she recoiled in fear; he'd never snapped at her like that before, and it surprised her.

Running down the hall, she watched him disappear through the door, breaking it off its hinges in his hurry to get through it. A moment later, Inu no Taisho breezed by, following.

When Sesshoumaru got to the scene of the fight, Ryuukotsusei had gone, but his Mother's body still lay where it had fallen.

The Lady had been an odd duck her entire life; she had an independent streak that drove her mate mad, and they often fought over her solitary forays into enemy territory. She spent all her spare time sparring, training, and fighting in the dojo, and when she wasn't there, she was teaching Sesshoumaru the art of hardening his heart to the emotions that would betray him, and she had begun to mould him into the image of herself. If one were to ask Inu no Taisho, he would not deny that he and his wife were not close; their marriage had been arranged, and they only just tolerated each other at the best of times. They'd kept their squabbles private, though, and Sesshoumaru had only begun to realise that his parents did not love each other, and he began to wonder if maybe this was somehow his doing.

He cradled his Mother's dead body as his Father approached, his eyes moist.

"I told her to leave that goddamn dragon alone," he said, and turned his gaze to the sky. "But she would never listen. This isn't the first time she's challenged him, Sesshoumaru."

He wasn't listening; his heart was too busy breaking. For all her strangeness, she had loved him, and he, her. His eyes were red as the tears flowed unchecked from his eyes, and, picking her up, he walked away, carrying her body in his arms.

Inu no Taisho followed, silently. He was worried; Sesshoumaru was taking it harder than he'd expected. Amaya had brought him up in her image, after all; he'd had little to say about anything to do with the boy, she'd been adamant that she would take care of his education, and wanting to avoid another confrontation in an endless string of disputes he'd agreed, though now he regretted his decision, for Sesshoumaru was not reacting as she'd taught him. Amaya would have stayed as hard as stone.

He couldn't help but feel that if _he_ had died and not her, Sesshoumaru would not have given him another thought.

_Damn you, Amaya_, he thought angrily. She'd drummed into Sesshoumaru's head his entire life a credo he'd come to rely on: _Emotion is weakness. Fear is weakness. Love is weakness.  
_

His son had been a walking corpse, feeling nothing, until Ai had come along.

She had brought out the child in Sesshoumaru that Inu no Taisho remembered; carefree, smiling, happy. His Mother had had a hard time breaking his spirit when he was young; as he grew it became easier.

Inu no Taisho regretted ever setting eyes on his son's Mother as he watched his son's back, stiff and straight, even in his hour of crisis. Her body hung limp in his arms, and he laid her on the grass on her favourite spot, a hill overlooking the dojo on the Eastern side of their castle.  
Then, he began to dig.

Hours after his Father had left, Sesshoumaru refusing his help in digging the hole, Ai came, her eyes sad and her hair whipping against her face in the brisk winds. A small bouquet of flowers were in her hand.

Personally, Ai had hated Sesshoumaru's Mother; the woman had done nothing but glare at her furiously since her arrival a month earlier. But for Sesshoumaru, she would pretend to be sad that the older woman was gone.

He heard her approach, but did not turn around; he did turn, however, when she laid a hand on his bare back, having removed his haori when he got too hot, and he cried in her arms like the child he used to be.

Ai held him, soothing his wounded heart. She knew he loved his Mother, though he seemed not to know that he was the only one. She had been a hard woman, the Lady Amaya.

When he finally stopped shaking, she'd looked into his eyes and asked, "Are you feeling a little better now? I can't even imagine what you must be feeling, darling."

He looked back into her eyes; _how had he lived before her?_

Wrapping her in a bone-crushing hug, he began to undress her, and she let him. He took her there next to his Mother's resting place, and when he was finished with her, he rose, and walked away, not even bothering to re-sod the dirt of the gravesite. She supposed a servant would take care of it.

He refused to speak to anyone for the next week, nor would he accept food. Eventually Inu no Taisho broke down his door and, as he'd suspected, Sesshoumaru was gone.

He didn't come back. Months passed, and Ai continued her lessons alone. She had thought she was miserable when her parents died; she was twice as miserable now.

He wandered. He wandered the entire land of Nihon, and still the ache in his heart would not go away. When he returned finally, after two years, Ai was gone. He went to the Eastern border, and she appeared to ward off what she thought was a trespasser on her lands.

"Sesshoumaru? Is that you?" The man she'd once knew was now a stoic tower of demon strength. His arms, when he extended them, were wiry and the muscles defined.

"Ai…I am sorry I left you."

She felt her heart go out to him…she still loved him.

But she could tell that his Mother's death had wiped away all traces of love he'd ever felt himself; he was a shell of the man he'd once been, of the man she'd brought out in him.

"Are you claimed yet?" he asked the question point blank, and she blinked.

"No," she hedged, then added, "but I have several suitors. Will you be one of them?"

He was silent, contemplating her answer.

Finally, when he refused to say anymore, she got fed up.

"Look, Sesshoumaru, I love you, but I don't think you know what love is anymore. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your Mother - well, she was _not_ a very nice woman. She had a lot of problems, and don't tell me you didn't notice it, because you had to, it was right in front of you the whole time. Even your Father couldn't get along with her. The only person she ever invested any time in was you, and look what happened. You are just like her. You are dead, Sesshoumaru. You are a walking shell of a man."  
Having said her piece, she walked away.

"Are you ready to settle down? Then come with me. If not, I refuse to be your kept woman. I've waited two years for you, and I'm done waiting. I'm ready for a life, and there are plenty of demons out there fighting to give it to me. Besides, I have a Province to run, I don't have time for indecision."

That was the last he saw of her, for he could not bring his feet to follow, but he did say, "I do love you, Ai."

She stopped, and looked back over her shoulder. "You did, once, and it was the best time of my life. But now that time is gone, and I cannot get it back." She continued on her way. Another fragment of Sesshoumaru's heart turned to ice.

That night, he went to find his Father, and he followed his scent, Ryuukotsusei's scent coming through strongly too, intertwined with the old dog demons'.

When he reached the battle site, he'd made a decision. Now was the time to challenge his Father for Supremacy; after all, what did he have left to lose? Besides, as the only heir, the Western Province rightfully belonged to him upon his Father's death.

His Father was bleeding when he reached him, and Ryuukotsusei was sealed to the side of a cliff nearby, his powers rendered dormant.

Inu no Taisho knew Sesshoumaru was coming; he'd felt his strong aura miles off. His son paused behind him and said disdainfully, "I see you've taken up with a human, you reek of her scent. Does it make you happy to know that while you are out enjoying yourself with trash, my Mother is rolling over in her grave?"  
I

nu no Taisho sighed. He was _still_ sore about that day?

"Sesshoumaru, did you come here to accuse me of things I didn't do, or are you just angry that I have finally found someone who loves me as much as I love her?"

Sesshoumaru growled. His Father was missing the point.

"I want your swords, Father. I'm here to challenge you for the title of Lord. Who you fraternize with in your spare time matters not to me."

He sighed, then chuckled. "Doesn't it? You sounded pretty angry there, son, for someone who doesn't give a shit. Listen, your Mother and I were different; whether or not I had been with her, I couldn't have stopped her from taking on that fucking dragon." He flung an arm in the dragon's direction.

"We were always different; I may as well tell you, if you haven't already figured it out, that we didn't love each other. In fact, we could barely look at each other without fighting. I still can't believe we even managed to conceive you; Amaya wouldn't let me near her for the first six months of our marriage. And believe me, our marriage was not a happy one - for either of us. Do I not have a right to be happy, Sesshoumaru?"

He turned to face his son, but Sesshoumaru only hardened his heart. He would not let his Father wheedle his way out of this so easily.

He remained silent, and Inu no Taisho took his silence as a negative. He sighed again.

"I'm not going to stand around and let you take out your anger on me, Sesshoumaru. I am not old, but I am severely wounded, and Izayoi needs me. You will have a brother soon, but of course, that matters not to you."

Sesshoumaru lifted his brow higher, and sneered at his Father:  
"Of course. But, before you go to save your human slut and the brat, give me your swords, and we can forget this whole conversation."

"No."

Sesshoumaru growled. His Father was making this difficult; he was in no mood to deal with difficult.

Inu no Taisho listed to the side; a major gash bled heavily from his ribs, and blood dripped down his hand from his wounded arm.

"I'm going to them; I doubt I'll make it back."

He turned, and Sesshoumaru flung out his hand, his fingertips glowing, issuing his challenge to the man who was his Father; the only family he had left.

However, Inu no Taisho paid him no attention; he only transformed into his demon form, and said to Sesshoumaru before he left, "Put your claws down, I have no desire to kill my son. I need the swords more than you do, and I'll decide when and which ones you get."

He sighed.

"You've become a hard man, Sesshoumaru. Look after the lands, and don't make your Mother's mistake." And just like that, he was gone.

Seeshoumaru looked at Kitana once again, her blue eyes intoxicating him.

"You are correct," he said at last.

"We will not speak of this again until that hanyou _trash _has been dealt with."

Disappointed, she nodded, but kept her face cheerful. She didn't want him to know how badly she'd hoped he wanted to settle down…with her.

An uncomfortable silence followed. Kitana sighed and rested her chin on her arm, when a flash of movement caught her eye.

She grabbed Sesshoumaru's sleeve and pulled her over, saying, "Look! Down there!"

Only fifteen minutes had passed; where had Kagura gone to? He was certain it was she he was seeing, flying below them, returning through the barrier over the castle, its surface rippling to admit her.

_Hmm_, Sesshoumaru thought, _she came from the same direction as us. Was she looking for our camp?  
_

He knew that if he was correct, and she had been sent to locate them, or their last whereabouts, that she would report back to Naraku the disappearance of their trail, not far from this very spot. They would have to form a plan - now, before they lost their advantage.

"Wake the others; we have business to discuss."

Kitana nodded, and started smacking everybody, waking them up.

"What's going on?" Kagome slurred, and Inuyasha came up from behind her, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru, what is going on? Has Kagura returned?"

Now that he had everyone's attention, save the Shippo's, he spoke.

"She has," he answered the monk, "and she came from the same direction we did. I believe she had been sent to scout our location, and has come back empty-handed."

Miroku was the first to realise the implications of this statement.

"We need a plan," he said, getting up, and Sesshoumaru nodded.

Everyone was wide awake now.

"Well? What are we gonna do?" Inuyasha asked, holding Kagome in the cold wind as the dragon beneath them slept, still circling soundlessly in the sky above Naraku's barrier.

"Well, we have the advantage of surprise - for now," Miroku started, rubbing his chin in thought. "We can't just rush into this. We have to have a fool-proof plan, one that's flexible enough that we can change it if the situation dictates. This could be the final fight; we have to be united, and we have to be fast."

Everyone nodded. Inuyasha sighed.

"Okay…that tells me nothing. I need to know exactly what it is we're going to do!"

Kagome grabbed his hand, and whispered something to him; he settled down.

"Calm down, everybody. We still have our surprise, and Naraku's going to be on his guard, right? Maybe if we wait a few more days, he'll let his guard down and do something stupid, like letting down his barrier, and then we can attack, like Death From Above, or something."

Kitana looked around her for agreement, but none was forthcoming. I

nuyasha was laughing. She frowned.

"Okay, _you_ do better!" she spat, her pride bruised. _At least I offered an idea!_ she thought, sulking.

"That won't work, because he won't let his guard down. If anything, the longer we're invisible, the more cautious he'll get. And besides, his barrier isn't a problem; Tetsusaiga can break it, no sweat."

"Oh," she said, frowning. _Show-off_, she thought.

Sesshoumaru was quiet. He hated to admit it, but Inuyasha had proven his point; it was better to act now than to bide their time any longer than they already had. _If only we could set a trap for him_…

Well, that's it. I promise to work on it some more, and finish it, as soon as possible. It's just so long, and overwhelming...I'm going to need a few days to sort everything out. Please forgive me. Like I said before, I will not abandon this story, so keep your eyes peeled! (P.S. Sorry, Kouga's Archi, no smut this chappie, but I promise some when I get this thing back on track, k?) Oh, by the way, if anyone has any ideas about where I should go with this, lemme know, I'd love to hear them!


	14. Chapter 14

Hey all, sorry for the delay, I been really busy with work, and I got a new phone! Yay! Do a happy dance! I'm so sorry I've made you guys wait so long, I hate myself for it, but I just could not get over that writer's block...until now! I typed this whole chapter today, so hopefully I'll get more done after work tomorrow! I promise to work on it!

Deds:

**Kitsune Lover** - Thanks sooo much for being such a faithful reader, I haven't had any reviews since my last update, so I'm going to thank everybody who's read this far in your ded, if that's alright. Thanks you guys, you make me want to keep on truckin'! If it weren't for you, and this awesome show, I'd have no excuse to write anything! So...thanks! Kitsune, hope you like this one, it was such a bitch to get out, took sooo long...enjoy everyone!

Disclaimer: Screw off, this took forever, I'm not about to fuck it up with something like a disclaimer! We all know that no one makes a cent, must we rub it in? Gawd!

**Every Time We Touch**

Naraku sat inside his castle, watching the skies through the barred window of his bare room, Kanna kneeling by his side, silent. He narrowed his eyes. He could have sworn he'd seen something up there in the clouds, but dismissed it as an over-active imagination.

Kagura strode into the room, her face screwed up into a frown. How she hated him, and he knew it. He did not care, though, for she was created from him to serve him, and though she'd proven to be a bit of a nuisance, he would not return her to his body until he really needed her; she was a good snoop, despite her frostiness toward him.

He turned his head lazily to watch her approach. "Well?"

"Well, what? They're gone."

He glared at her. _If this was her idea of a joke_…

He continued to glower at her, but her face never changed. He felt reasonably sure that she would have at least averted her eyes if she were lying. He stroked his chin.

"So, they've disappeared, have they? Well, we'll just have to wait them out."

He thought about sending Kagura out again, in some obscure direction, to see if they would follow her, but he decided against that. Having her gone would leave him short one pair of eyes, and he needed all the sentries he could get right now; he had a distinct feeling that though his enemies seemed to have vanished into thin air, they were in fact close by, just waiting for him to screw up, and would pounce on that opportunity to kill him. He snickered. _That will never happen_…

He returned his gaze to the cloudy sky outside his window. Kagura, growing weary of standing, sat heavily on the floor, her face fixed in a pout.

Naraku slid his eyes over to watch her, but did not bother to turn his head. She wrapped her arms about her knees, shivering in the spacious, yet gloomy room. Kanna did not move, but she did occasionally blink. Kagura let her gaze rest on the child for a moment. She was so loyal to Naraku it was disgusting. Kagura could not understand her close relationship with the awful hanyou who held her own heart in the palm of his hand like a chain, yanking and ripping her apart with the slightest pressure. _Oh, how she loathed him_.

_Funny_, she thought, _how things hadn't started out that way_. Of course, she'd always resented having him for a master, for she was more independent than even Naraku himself, when given half a chance. But she hadn't really started to hate him until he'd used her to test the strength of Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga, when she had almost been killed.

It was from that day afterward that she began to scheme for her escape; more than anything in her life she wanted all of her ties to Naraku severed permanently, and she'd tried several times to do just that, but to no avail.

She even went so far as to ask Sesshoumaru for help, and continued to spare Inuyasha's life, when she realised that his death meant Naraku's never-ending dominance over her. As much as she didn't like Inuyasha (though secretly she thought he was cute, but nowhere near as heart-stopping as his brother), she continued to let him live whenever she encountered him, for he was one of her "Trump Cards", which were what she referred to as her very last means of escape. If she had to, she would gladly help Inuyasha defeat Naraku, even if it meant freedom in her death. She sincerely hoped it wouldn't have to come to that.

Her memory returned to the night when she had requested Sesshoumaru's help in vanquishing Naraku, had pleaded with him to free her from his grasp; his refusal still burned her whenever she thought of it. If only he knew how much she admired him…not only his strength, or his handsome face, nor his power, but she that truly loved him, because he was just as lonely as she was, though she knew he would never admit to such feelings. She often felt her heart go out to him when she watched him walk away, with only a toad and a child for company.

She regretted having to present herself as heartless and scheming, but it was too late to change her stripes now. She just hoped she hadn't ruined her chances with him completely.

She wondered if Sesshoumaru was even capable of loving a woman; his tongue was sharper than hers, and he didn't give the impression of a ladykiller. She clenched her fists; an idea had popped into her head, and as her fertile mind fostered it and it began to grow, her red irises strayed to Naraku's back. She knew that he had planned to go away tonight; she'd overheard him telling Kanna of his plans. Although he'd caught her once before, she decided to take another risk and leave the castle as soon as he disappeared. Now that she knew where he went, all she had to worry about was Kanna…

**oOo**

A few hours later, Naraku rose from his spot on the floor and strode silently from the room. Kagura was amazed that his seat was still shiny like the rest of the floor; he sat there so much, she expected him to have worn it to a dull sheen by now.

Kanna followed a few minutes later, leaving Kagura alone. She moved to sit in Naraku's warm spot by the window; looking up into the early morning light, she saw something through the clouds, something silver. Whatever it was, it was massive, and she quickly looked back into the room to make sure she was still alone. Confirming this, she returned her gaze to the sky, and again saw what appeared to be a giant dragon slowly circling over the barrier, and, squinting, could just make out a bright red splotch on its back, next to some green, black, purple, blue, brown, and white…_was that Sesshoumaru?_ She hoped so.

Her blood began to rush through her veins in anticipation. She knew where they were, all she had to do now was get to them. She had a plan, and it coincided perfectly with Naraku's plans to sleep in the room beneath the cellar tonight.

Though he'd told Inuyasha that he could choose when his time of frailty was, he had lied in telling him that he did not actually become weak during this time. Kagura knew for a fact that he did, and the opportunity to use it against him now couldn't have been more tempting to her than a piece of candy tempts a starving child.

All she had to do was sneak away without anyone seeing her, which was easier said than done. She watched, fascinated, as the barrier began to ripple repeatedly, going down, but coming up again, only to dissipate once more.

Quickly, she walked to the doorway, and slid closed the screen behind her as she left. Walking briskly down the dark hall, she panicked when she turned a corner, the last one before the screen that led outside, and ran smack into Kanna, her mirror held in a death grip to her little chest.

For the first time, Kagura became very aware of the threat the child posed to her. What she said, did, and looked like right now was paramount to her success if she was to escape, and the look on Kanna's face truly made her doubt her acting skills; still, she kept her face a mask, and then got angry.

Kanna's face had an accusing look to it, and just as Kagura feared, she asked in that quiet yet disturbing voice of hers, "Where are you going, Kagura?"

Kagura, her hand to where her heart should have been, glared at the child.

"I'm not going anywhere, Kanna," she defended, glad that her room was just past the outside screen. "I'm going to bed, not that anyone cares." And she swept by, heading for her room, affecting a hurt look to take form on her features.

_It's alright_, she reassured herself, _nothing's changed; it's just going to be a while longer before I can slip away_.

Unfortunately, Kagura's room had no windows. This was Naraku's way of letting her know that he wouldn't even give her a chance to escape, and that if he had his way, she would never find freedom. His arrogance only strengthened her resolve to prove him wrong, and, closing her door behind her, she quietly lay on her futon and thought long and hard about the perfect time to escape.

Fifteen minutes passed; not a sound could be heard. Kagura opened the screen a crack and peered down the hall, searching for a sign of Kanna, Naraku, or even Hakudoushi, who occasionally spied on her, the brat. She hadn't seen him lately, so maybe he'd done her a favour and bit the bullet, or so she hoped. That little bastard could read her mind, and was the last person she wanted to see right now. If she ran into anyone else, she would just say she was going to the toilet, but _he_ would see right through her.

The more she thought about it, the more she wondered if her suspicions were true; Naraku did seem a little depressed lately, he had been quite fond of the little insect…_maybe he was dead?_

She fervently hoped so as she eased her door open and stepped silently into the hall. Slowly, she creeped along the wall, pausing several times to listen. Finally, she reached the door, and was outside. Jumping off the porch, she ran through the purple air and flung her feather out of her hair at the same time, obscured by the mist as she made her escape. Now all she had to do was hope that Naraku didn't discover her missing, and that the Inutachi in the sky wouldn't kill her when she reached them.

**oOo**

The group was quiet, thinking. Sesshoumaru kept a wary eye on the barrier below, and blinked when it rippled, and dissipated. His eyes widened a fraction.

Without looking he reached out a hand and found a lock of his brother's hair, and yanked him forward. Inuyasha yelled, but immediately understood as his brother pointed out the invisible barrier.

"It's gone!" he shouted, and Sesshoumaru smacked him.

"Shut up, you want him to hear you?"

Inuyasha glowered, but his features smoothed out as Kagome took his arm, and slipped her hand into his. He smiled at her. Kouga frowned.

"I smell something," he said, and pointed below them. "Look who's coming."

Everyone turned to see Kagura on her feather, hovering closer.

"I wonder what she wants," Kagome murmured, and Sango nodded her agreement. Miroku frowned too, and Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga, and when Kagura came within earshot, yelled, "What do you want, witch? Going to spill our location to Naraku like a good little spy?"

Kagura affected such a look of hurt, which was so sincere, that even Inuyasha felt a stab of regret. Sesshoumaru touched his arm and shook his head, silently warning his brother to say no more.

She took a deep breath, and dropped onto the dragon's back in the space they'd cleared for her. Her feather flew back into the ornament in her hair, and she stood up straight, her eyes meeting Sesshoumaru's.

"Kagura, we weren't expecting you. What brings you?"

"I came to help you."

A silence fell over the crowd that was so complete, the only sound anyone heard was the wind as it blew gently. Kagome squeezed Inuyasha's hand; Kouga snorted rudely.

Kitana looked from Sesshoumaru to Kagura and back with only her eyes.

_Was there some sort of connection between them that ran deeper than mere acquaintance?_ she wondered, for Kagura still held his eyes with her own, though he had looked away twice since her arrival. She felt a peculiar feeling in the region of her heart at the thought of this.

Kouga nosed his way forward and grabbed Kagura roughly by her collar, exposing her shoulder, and growled, "What do you think you're doing? We aren't going to believe a word you have to say, you lying bitch! You're on _his_ side!"

Kagura glared, and said calmly, "Remove your hands from me, Kouga. I have no loyalty to Naraku any more than you do; in fact, I hate him just as much, if not more. There is no love lost between us."

Sesshoumaru glared. "Then why do you come here?"

She sighed heavily. "I told you: I came to help. I'm taking a huge risk in doing so; if Naraku discovers my absence, he'll likely kill me; he holds my heart in the palm of his hand."

Sango and Kagome exchanged a look. Kagome began to realize that maybe Kagura was telling the truth. She had given indications in the recent past that she was attempting to stray from her master, and she noticed that Sesshoumaru seemed to turn his thoughts inward, as if this made sense to him, too.

"Look," she said, her hands up, palms out in front of her, "I know that none of you trust me; frankly, I wouldn't trust me either. But I came with sincere intentions to help you destroy Naraku, and even if he kills me, I plan to see his demise. Death would be better than how I'm living now."

Sesshoumaru thought about her words, and nodded. But he added, "If you are underhanded, I will personally remove your lying tongue."

Kitana smiled a little; she didn't trust this Kagura. Oh, she didn't think she was insincere about helping them, she just didn't like the way the woman was looking at Sesshoumaru; she didn't like it at all.

Inuyasha spoke up, "Well, if you're going to help us, what can you tell us about that barrier down there? Do you know what's going on?"

Kagura drew her eyes to meet his. She smiled, almost giddy. "I do," she said, and sat down to make herself comfortable. Everyone followed suit.

When she had everyone's attention, she began. "Naraku has chosen this night as his night of weakness. Inuyasha, do you remember when he told you and the monk that he didn't actually become weak during this period?"

Inuyasha, still wary, said, "Yeah..."

"Well, " she continued, "he lied to you about that. He _does_ experiment, but the last time he did it, I found him, and he was weaker than that kitsune child over there."

"Are you serious?" Inuyasha blurted.

"Completely. He only managed to subdue me because he scared the living daylights out of me, then kept me shackled down there for a whole week, that asshole!"

Tears began to gather in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away.

"Did Naraku do that to punish you?" Kagome asked quietly.

"Yes. I was trying to escape from him when you saw me last. By the way, Inuyasha, I never told him when your night of weakness was, even when he threatened to kill me."

Inuyasha bowed, in thanks.

Sesshoumaru continued to stare at the silver scales beneath him, deep in thought. He was trying to think of a good way to use Kagura's information against Naraku. She had said that he would be weak tonight…

"We should attack him tonight," Miroku said, speaking Sesshoumaru's thoughts.

"Yes," he agreed, to anxious nods all around.

"He hides in the room beneath the cellar in the castle," Kagura whispered, as if she was afraid he would hear her. "That's why the barrier is fluctuating; soon it will disappear completely in his inability to keep it raised."

Kitana stood. "Well, I think we should sneak in, subdue anyone we find, and then burn him out. What do you say?"

Everyone thought about it, and finally Sesshoumaru said, "Sounds good. We'll go with Kitana's plan. Get your weapons. We've got a battle to fight."

With those words, he turned his back on them and went to meditate for a moment on his own.

Kitana watched him go, then saw that Kagura was watching him, too. She caught the other woman's eye and gave a frosty smile, one that plainly conveyed, _Stay away from him, he's mine_.

Kagura ignored Kitana's warning and turned her back on her, removing her fan from her obi and licking its edges with her tongue, to test its sharpness. When she cut her tongue, she was satisfied.

Kitana walked away, to help Sango strap Hirakotsu to her back. Kagome was massaging Inuyasha's shoulders and ignoring Kouga, for he wanted the same treatment his rival was getting; Inuyasha only growled at the wolf and told him to get lost.

Miroku was sorting his sutras, and Kirara was licking Shippo's face, to wake him. Kitana smiled indulgently as the child tried half-heartedly to smack his friend away.

When she turned around again, however, Kagura was not where she had left her. Kitana growled inwardly as she spied Kagura next to Sesshoumaru, making herself comfortable beside him, her sleeve brushing his, her thigh briefly brushing his knee. _That slut_… she thought.

Kagura settled herself next to Sesshoumaru, and whispered, "You like her, don't you."

He opened one eye to peer at her, sidelong. "What makes you think that?"

"I saw the way she looked at you, and she's practically spitting nails just watching us now," she said, looking back over her shoulder at the blue-haired woman.

"Is she?" he didn't sound particularly concerned. Of course, Sesshoumaru was as adept at hiding his true feelings as a chameleon was at blending in with its surroundings. "I hadn't noticed."

She turned her head. "Yes you have."

Now he turned to face her, his face carefully expressionless. "Are you jealous, Kagura?"

She frowned a little; he had such an annoying habit of nailing her right where she lived. She decided to throw his own words back at him.

"What makes you think that?"

Now he smiled. Her blood heated to see it; she knew he would have a beautiful smile, when he had an occasion to show it.

"Well, I can't think of any other reason you would disturb my meditation, except to inquire about my relationship with Lady Kitana. I'm not blind, Kagura; I know you feel _something_ for me."

Her cheeks reddened. "That's a pretty arrogant thing to say, don't you think?" she hissed, and to her complete embarrassment, he laughed.

"Not at all. We are two of a kind, you and I; both of us are more confident than everyone thinks we have any right to be. Lady Kitana, on the other hand, is very sweet-tempered, a perfect example of the female demon, someone I admire. My question to you, though, is what do _you_ think my relationship is to her? That's what you came over here to ask me, is it not?"

Kagura wondered when he had grown so insightful. She was beginning to feel slightly out of her element here, a rare thing for her, and she didn't like it.

"A better question, my Lord, I think, is what do _you_ feel for _her_?"

Sesshoumaru turned his head away, his eyes closed once again. "You're not a subtle woman, Kagura," he pointed out, then continued, "Don't you mean, _what do I feel for you?_"

Once again she was struck without a word to say. His instincts were getting sharper all the time.

"It crossed my mind once or twice," she admitted, smoothing the wrinkles from her red and white outer kimono, and flicking the end of the yellow obi back and forth through the air.

He was quiet for a moment, before he whispered, "Do you really want to know?"

Her hand froze in mid-air, and once again she looked over her shoulder, to see where Kitana was, but found the girl no longer watching, her back turned to the scene she and Sesshoumaru were facing: namely, the ass-end of a silver dragon.

"More than anything," she choked quietly.

Sesshoumaru sighed, and placed his hand atop hers on her knee, and suddenly she had a bad feeling. _Would she wind up like Kouga, stuck in a one-sided love?_ She hoped not.

"I don't know _what _I feel for you."

She released the breath she'd been holding. At least he didn't hate her, as she'd feared. He'd left the door open for her, anyway.

"Do you know what I feel for you?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yes."

"Does that change your mind?"

He remained silent this time, and her chest began to feel like lead._ He didn't love her, she knew it_…

"Yes," he finally admitted, then he said, "but I feel something for her, too. Why must you complicate everything in my life, Kagura?"

Kagura felt a smile creep up her lips, and reach her eyes. She had a chance! AND her suspicions had been correct! Suddenly she realised that that was not so good for her.

"Well, I love you, Sesshoumaru. I know that you will make the right decision in the end, and I guess whatever you decide I will have to accept."

He grunted, surprised by her boldness, then turned away, dismissing her.

She bowed, and whispered, "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama…for everything."

He hadn't given her much, but she'd cherished every moment spent in his presence, every fight, even the time she'd questioned his manliness. She regretted that, of course, but until she had his favour, she would not apologise for it. That would make her look desperate, and the last thing she needed was to look needy.

Rising, she left him, and hovered near the others, listening with half an ear as Kagome chastised the monk for his "wandering hands." Kitana glared at her, but only for a moment; nothing appeared to have changed, and she began to relax. Suddenly she felt foolish for worrying at all.

Approaching Sesshoumaru, she was met with a less than warm face - one she'd not seen since they'd first met. Her gut sank.

Taking his empty sleeve, she pulled him closer, despite the warning look in his eyes.

"What is she to you?" she hissed, releasing him, but staying close.

"She is an acquaintance, as you are," he said, and she felt as if he'd slapped her.

"I'm just an acquaintance, am I? Was I an acquaintance when you were kissing my throat? When you were getting your way with me?"

She felt betrayed, and his face softened a bit. "No, Kitana, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. You have to admit, though, we barely know each other."

"Still!" she insisted, "I know what you feel for me, I can see it now in your eyes! I know it's been only a day or two, but I believe in love at first sight, Sesshoumaru. I think you do, too."

She looked at her feet. Bringing her chin up, so he could look into her cool blue eyes, so different from Kagura's warm red ones, with their passionate independence, and her helplessness…what he saw before him in her blue depths was not only independence, but confidence; not confidence resulting from torture, to keep up appearances, like Kagura's, but confidence that came from discipline, and in knowing that you were what you'd made yourself to be, and had had love behind you from the start. He envied that of her.

"Do not give up hope, little Kitana," he whispered, and smiled for her, and her alone. Kagura saw this, and turned away, her red eyes moist.

Sesshoumaru saw her, and his heart stopped. He'd never had to decide between two women before. _What was he to do?_

**oOo**

Kagome kneeled behind Inuyasha, his haori around her shoulders and his under-kimono draped over her right one. She methodically rubbed oil into his bare skin, oil that heated on contact, to ease stiff muscles and prevent stiffness later on. He was practically purring, and he basked in Kouga's jealous glow as he watched from afar.

Kagome smiled a little; it was so nice, this feeling she felt whenever Inuyasha held her, spoke her name, touched her. She was his, and he, hers.

She wanted this feeling to last forever, and with the battle of their lives eminent in the very near future, she wanted to stretch the sensation out as long as she dared.

She happened to glance up at one point and see Kagura sitting docile next to Sesshoumaru, who appeared to ignore her. She thought this a trifle odd, but was soon consumed with her task once again. When she happened to glance that way a second time, Kitana was standing nose to nose with him, and she didn't look happy. Kagome immediately knew that something was wrong.

Leaning close to Inuyasha's ear, which twitched from her breath, she whispered, "I think Sesshoumaru's got more admirers than he can handle."

Inuyasha opened his eyes and took in the scene before him. "He does?"

She nodded. "I saw him talking to Kagura a while back. I think he's got quite the problem on his hands."

He snickered. "Sucker," he hissed happily. She nudged him reprovingly.

"Now, Inuyasha, that's not nice," she whispered, licking the inside of his ear as he barely managed to close his mouth in time to silence the loud groan that tried with all its might to escape.

"It makes _me_ feel good though," he growled, fisting her hair in his hands, bringing her lips to his own.

"Alright, you two, curb it, eh? There are children present." Miroku interrupted, Shippo watching with morbid fascination from his left shoulder.

Kagome laughed, as Inuyasha glowered, but smiled…a little. Putting his clothes back on him, and tucking them into his pants as he rose to stand before her, Inuyasha wrapped his arms beneath hers and brought his face to hers. "Be safe, Kagome. Promise me you won't leave my side unless I tell you to."

She chewed her lip. She didn't want to leave him, not ever, even if he died she wanted to die with him, but now was not the time to tell him that. He would only grow more concerned and insist she stay behind, which she absolutely _refused_ to do.

At last, she brought her gaze from his rosary to his amber eyes and whispered, "As you wish."

He smiled, and kissed her, long and hard, satisfied with her answer.

Releasing her, she picked up her bow and quiver, and asked, "Is everybody ready?"

At a collective response in the positive, Kitana ordered Storm to take them down to the castle, as quietly as he possibly could.

**oOo**

Well, that's that. I have more yet to write, so stay tuned peeps! I will try my very best not to get writer's block _ever again_! At least until this story's done, anyway. This chappie went much smoother than I anticipated, I'm so happy with it! All I have to do now is finish, and then on to a new story! Yippee! Review babes, I haven't had any in so long, I'm depraved!!! Thanks for reading!!


	15. Chapter 15

Well, second-last chapter folks! Yay! Soon I'll start a new story, woo!!

Deds:

**Kitsune's Lover** - You're the only one who reviewed the last chapter, you're so awesome, and thank you for your wonderful comments, I couldn't stop smiling!! I worked real hard so you wouldn't have to hang on long, and I hope to finish this tory today, so keep your fingers crossed!

**Every Time We Touch**

Eleven shadows slipped through the purple mist like ghosts, without making a sound, toward the dark, dilapidated-looking castle beneath the rippling barrier. Kagura, leading the way, bid them all to wait a moment outside.

Sesshoumaru nodded, and asked everyone to lay a hand on him, even though the thought of everyone touching him made him cringe. When eight hands and two paws were felt at various points along his haori sleeves, he concentrated his jaki, and masked everyone's presence, along with his own.

Satisfied, Kagura stepped into the castle; her job was to lead Kanna away so that the rest of them could sneak in. Opening the screen, she quietly closed it behind her and began to walk toward the basement, when Kanna said from behind her, "I thought you went to bed, Kagura."

Kagura froze, but smoothly recovered. "I did, but I have to go to the bathroom," she lied, and Kanna narrowed her eyes. Sighing, Kagura offered her hand and asked, "Would you like to escort me there?"

Silent, Kanna passed her, leading the way._ Little brat_, she thought maliciously, her hand falling limp to her side, her face never changing.

Sesshoumaru gave the go ahead when Kagura's voice faded in the depths of the dankness around them, and, moving as one, still holding onto the demon Lord, they moved quietly through the hallways of the castle.

**oOo**

Naraku settled in for a night of quiet meditation, in which he would experiment with the demons currently residing in his person. He occasionally heard the faintest squeak of the floorboards on the main level, but felt assured that down here, no one would find him. Of course, he couldn't trust Kagura not to lead his enemies to him, but he was pretty sure she didn't know about his plans for tonight; besides, Kanna was keeping an eye on her, as he'd asked her to several weeks prior.

He seriously considered reclaiming the wind witch once and for all. She was beginning to prove more trouble than she was worth; her independence had been impossible for him to break. Even when he'd shackled her for a week down here, he'd heard no complaint from her. Her resentment was too obvious for her to hide, but he cared not about her feelings for him; they didn't matter.

What mattered was that she did as she was told, or suffer the consequences.

A loud thump came from two floors above. Naraku rolled one red iris to the ceiling and glowered at it, as if that would solve all his problems. His enemies had no idea how taxing it was for him to stay that crucial step ahead, how difficult it was to constantly be putting himself out of commission to merely experiment - for that was all he could do, without the complete jewel. It irked him, and he became short of temper, and often snapped on his servants, or randomly decided to torture someone new with his diabolical schemes, which, he grunted, were not at all easy to come up with.

It was no picnic being him, but he was determined to reach his goal. He had once survived horrible burns, broken bones, long falls from high places, rivers - hell, he was practically indestructible. He grinned to himself. If he ever did go down, he'd not go to hell alone, that was for sure. Or so he told himself.

**oOo**

Sesshoumaru glared at Inuyasha as they continued to move down the dark halls, looking for the door Kagura had told them led to the basement. Inuyasha rubbed his head, a goose-egg growing on the back of it. He'd accidentally stepped on Sesshoumaru's foot and his brother had slammed his head into the nearest wall, making the loud thump Naraku had heard from the cellar. Everyone shook their heads in disgust; _would these two never get along?_

Kagome, taking pity on Inuyasha, kissed his goose-egg better, while Kouga tried not to feel left out, and kept his eyes on the hall behind them. Faintly, he began to see a white glow, and whispered, "Someone's coming!"

Panicking, Sesshoumaru flung open the nearest screen and shoved everyone inside, just as Kanna turned the corner. Quietly closing the door behind him, he waited, holding it shut.

Kanna glanced down the hall, where she thought she'd seen movement just a moment ago. She could see nothing now in the dark, and she sensed no auras, so she continued to lead Kagura back to her room, much to Kagura's chagrin.

When they had passed, everyone emerged from the room, and moved once more toward the basement doors. Sesshoumaru rested his hand on Tokijin, in readiness. Kitana put her hand atop his for the briefest moment, and the look he saw in her eyes made him feel terrible. She was so sad, he thought he would crumble if anything were to happen to her…Kagura was out of the way; she had warned them that Kanna might catch her, and they'd be on their own, but there was nothing he could do to protect Kitana any better than standing in front of her.

Looking away, he decided to cross that bridge when he came to it. Kitana, getting no response from him, pulled her hand away.

Finally, they came upon the door they'd been searching for. Right away Kagome confirmed that she strongly felt the presence of the jewel below them.

"Alright, no talking beyond this point," Miroku whispered, and they all nodded. Inuyasha looked like he was about to jump out of his skin.

"We go in hard, we go in fast," he said, looking into the hanyou's eyes as he began to calm down now that he knew what was expected of him. "Use everything you've got to hold him down, and Kagome, Inuyasha, and Sesshoumaru will finish him off. Remember, you three have to attack at precisely the same moment, so you might want to work out a signal between you."

Kagome blinked, and whispered, "Thumbs up?"

Both brothers nodded.

"Alright, let's do this thing," Kouga growled, disappointed that he wouldn't be part of the killing, just the holding. He thought maybe if something went wrong, he would save Kagome; that thought smoothed his ruffled feathers admirably, once he realised that she'd probably want to thank him…

Suddenly, the doors behind them slid open, and everyone felt their heart miss a beat.

"Am I too late?" Kagura asked, a smile on her face.

"Not at all," Kagome said, the first to recover.

"Good. I'll lead the way, that way he won't suspect a thing until it's too late."

Everyone moved aside as Kagura flung open the cellar doors, and began to descend them. After a moment, they heard Naraku ask, "Kagura, why do you disturb my slumber?"

After that, everything was a blur. Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Kouga, Miroku, Sango, Kitana, Kagome, Shippo, Storm, and Kirara all rushed into the opening, spreading out behind Kagura like an army. It was hard to see in the dark, but the bright pink glow of the arrow Kagome loosed at Naraku's head lit the room brilliantly, giving everyone a chance to grab and hold the evil myriad of demons that comprised Naraku. Moving his head so the arrow only grazed him, Naraku glared at Kagura as he found all his limbs immobilized, and a trio of enemies standing before him. Kagome lifted her thumb and in unison, Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and she herself all shouted the names of their attacks, and let forth a volley of power so strong that the castle exploded around them on impact.

Smoke and fire blinded everyone's senses as a wind began to blow through the air; now that the walls were gone, blue sky could been seen through the grey smoke and bitter smell of burning flesh.

When the air had cleared, nothing remained of Naraku but a charred pile of smoking flesh, the jewel nestled snugly in it like a cherry on the top of an ice cream sundae.

Picking it up, the burnt flesh began to turn to ash at her touch, and blew away. The jewel turned a bright pink, and Kagome held it against the few she had on her; they fused to form an almost whole jewel.

Inuyasha came to her, and saw the bauble dangling from her neck. "You did it," he whispered, and picked her up, spinning her through the air and kissing her lips as she giggled in his ears.

Sesshoumaru poked the ashes with Tokijin, not yet satisfied that Naraku was really gone, when he heard a low moan. Looking around, everyone was accounted for except…

Turning to follow the noise, he found Kagura in a nearby shrub, her chest impaled so deep that he could see right through it. Her eyes were glazed over and she tried to focus on his face when he bent close to speak to her.

"Did you get him?" she asked, her voice an awful croak. Sesshoumaru, for the first time since Ai, felt tears prick his eyes, but he valiantly held them back.

"Yeah," he whispered, holding her hand tightly, "We got him."

She smiled, but didn't quite finish; she looked like she was in severe pain. She blinked, and choked, coughing, and as he held her up, she whispered, "Thank you Sesshoumaru…now I'm free."

He squeezed his eyes shut as he felt her breath leave her body, and she became dead weight in his arms, limp as a rag doll.

"Farewell, Kagura," he whispered, laying her gently back down on the ground.

Kagome put a hand on his shoulder, and then stepped aside as Kitana grabbed both his shoulders, gently pulling him away from the body.

Suddenly he spun, and without another thought, pulled Tensaiga from its sheath, and sliced Kagura's body with the blade. Tensaiga did not glow.

He shook it, but still it did not respond; not even a pulse resonated from the thin blade.

"Worthless," he gritted, jamming it back in.

He flung Kitana's hand away as he passed her, and she looked after him, the tears in her eyes spilling over to stream down her cheeks and drip from her chin.

Sango released her grip on Miroku. Something still bugged her.

"He went down so easy," she said to him, and he peered into her eyes.

"But?"

"But I can't help but think that we've overlooked something."

Miroku smiled. "Fear not, my lovely Sango, I shall put an end to your worries." Removing his most powerful sutra from his robe, Miroku approached the pile of ash that had formerly been Naraku and slapped it on it. A harsh sizzling could be heard as the last of the evil energy was dispelled, and the pile of ash disappeared into nothing, leaving not a trace behind. All that remained to remind them of Naraku was his burnt castle, a few stone walls and a large hole in the ground, a crater created from the auras of the three strongest beings in the group.

Taking her hand, he pointed to the west as someone emerged from the bushes; Kohaku, disoriented, came running when he saw Sango, the only person he remembered from his past. A shard still remained in his shoulder, and Kagome frowned; she had to remove it. Sesshoumaru approached and once again removed Tensaiga from its sheath.

Sango, at a loss for words, held Kohaku in her arms as Kagome extracted the shard carefully, Kohaku's life-force draining away as she did so. Sango stroked her dead brother's hair as she murmured, "Soon I'll have you back, Kohaku, don't leave me."

Tensaiga, silent before, now pulsed with life; it was ready to resurrect the boy, and began to vibrate in its urgency to be used to do so.

Sesshoumaru sliced at him, and immediately he took a breath, and looked up at his sister, tears in his eyes. "Sango?"

Unable to speak, Sango gathered him close to her heart and cried into his hair, as he cried with her. Kagome felt tears prick her eyes as she added the final piece to the jewel, a piece she'd not noticed was missing until now. As she added it, the jewel glowed white, then pulsed gently in a soothing rhythm at the base of her throat.

"Well," she breathed, "we've done it!"

A loud cheer went up, as everyone gathered in a group hug, except the male demons of course, who would never willingly be caught in a public display of affection if they could possibly help it.

**oOo**

Well, I'm so happy, you guys, that I'll overlook the lack of reviews just to finish this monster. It's 108 pages, which is a record for me! What an achievement! Does anyone have a medal? Lol! One more to go! ONE MORE!!!!!


	16. Epilogue

Okay you guys, last leg! It's finally done! Holy shit, that took a lot out of me. Here's to one tough story and 120 type-written pages...I give you, the Epilogue!

Deds:

**Kitsune's Lover** - You've been there supporting me through it all, a million thanks, babe! I couldn't have done it without your encouragement, you're a Godsend! This one's for you!

**WaterAngel444** - did you used to be Water Kunoichi??? Is that you?!? I'm so sorry about that scan, I'm still working on it, I haven't forgotten, I will send it, don't worry! Your character was sheer heaven to work with, I had a lot of fun with it, all thanks to you. This one's for you, too! I love you guys!

**Every Time We Touch**

Kitana watched the sun rise a week later, more lonely now than she had ever been. The group had broken up after their victory, Inuyasha returning Kagome to Kaede's village, to further train her so that she may continue Kikyou's work and protect the jewel. She felt reasonably sure that Inuyasha wouldn't let Kagome get away; she expected him to propose any day now.

Sango and Miroku were well on their way to a happy ending; Kohaku with them again, they built themselves a hut right next to Kaede's and were living there now, even though it wasn't yet done.

Kouga returned to the wolf demons, and no one had heard from him since. He'd spoken to Kagome privately before he left, but she would tell no one of his words, not even Inuyasha.

Shippo happily followed Inuyasha everywhere, hoping that the older demon would adopt him when he married Kagome. He wanted so badly to have parents again, that he didn't mind having to settle for Inuyasha as a Father figure.

Sesshoumaru had, as usual, taken off without so much as a farewell, and she'd been searching for him ever since. It had taken her this long to follow his trail here, to his castle in the Western Province, the sun gilding the castle walls golden in its brilliance. He'd hurt her when he'd left, and she was determined to tell him off. She had a gut feeling that her brother, Koji, was in fact lost to her forever, as she had given up hope of ever finding him. The only thing that mattered to her now was seeing Sesshoumaru one last time.

Storm nudged her shoulder, sensing her unhappiness. She rubbed his jaw half-heartedly. She had begun to close off her heart, and it was killing her. She'd stopped eating, sleeping, and even drinking was down to barely a gulp of water a day. She had nothing to live for; she saw no sense in trying to survive any longer.

She began to grow weary as she stood there, the sun blinding her blue eyes, giving them a watery sheen. He'd taken her heart when he'd left, and she'd be damned if she didn't at least try to get it back before she died.

Turning, her breath stopped in her throat.

Standing before her, in the shadows, was a man, a tall man, with long silver hair, and eyes as golden as the sunrise behind her. Stepping into the light, she closed her mouth and looked away. He was even more handsome than she remembered, and he had that look in his eye, that hungry look that made her want to rip off his clothes, throw away his armour, and beg him to have his way with her.

She would not submit, she promised herself that when she'd started this vendetta, but once again, her heart melted, and tears began to gather in her large eyes.

Sesshoumaru could not believe his good fortune; she'd come after him! No woman had ever done that before…except Rin, but she didn't count. He realised now that fate had made his critical decision for him. Kagura was dead, an unfortunate but necessary consequence of her connection to Naraku; that was why Tensaiga had not responded to Sesshoumaru's demand to resurrect her; it would not bring back someone who had been linked to such evil for so long.

He wanted to pull out his hair in frustration; in his brief period of loss at Kagura's demise, he'd pushed away the one other woman who'd cared for him, whom he cared for in return. He was free to love her now, no demon could begrudge him his love for her. The only question was, would she still accept his love?

Slowly, he walked to her, stopping only a few inches away. She still refused to look at him, so he gently touched his fingers to her chin, and pulled it so he could look at her face.

Her eyes were tear-bright, and all the emotions she was feeling were there for him to see; her hurt, her anger, her resentment, her desire…her love, all were there, clouding her irises with storm-like intensity.

"Kitana," he whispered, his voice raw, his hand moving to cup her smooth jaw. She brought her brows down, and the tears spilled forth, twinkling merrily as they ran in shallow rivulets down her cheeks, a few stray strands of ice-blue hair sticking wherever the salty water touched them.

She drew in a ragged breath, and tried to back away, but he would not let her.

"Why, Sesshoumaru? Why did you have to push me away? I was vulnerable enough, but you had to crush my heart like it was nothing! I hate you! I wish you were dead!"

To her shock, instead of hitting her for her obstinate words as she expected, he gathered her in his arms, close to his chest, his rapidly beating heart music to her ears.

"I'm so sorry, Kitana," he whispered over and over again, stroking her hair and just…holding her. She began to sob in earnest, and soon the front of his haori was soaked, but he never took any notice. He was too deeply involved in his own self-pity that he himself felt hot tears touch his cheeks for the first time in centuries.

When she had cried herself dry, and only hiccups remained, he gripped her upper arms, and, looking into her eyes once more, began to ask for her forgiveness.

"Kitana, I have made so many mistakes with you, I don't know where to begin to set it all right again. I don't have a lot of experience with women, and I know I can't expect you to forgive me, but I would at least like to ask that you consider staying with me…I know what a horrible asshole I've been, and I'm so sorry, Kitana…" here, he sunk to his knees before her, and, clasping both of her hands palms-down to his heart, said, "I would be honoured if you would stay with me, as my wife, if you'll have me. I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy, Kitana, and if I don't get you now, I will never stop trying. I will wait for you as long as it takes. I have nothing but time, and I want to share it with you."

She began to cry again during his speech, and knew that he'd had her from hello. He had begged her to stay with him, and a Lord _never_ begged. He really must love her!

Wiping her face, she knelt before him, and, taking his face in her hands, cried, "Oh Sesshoumaru, I have waited for those words from you since the day we met! I don't care that we barely know each other; I love you, and that's all that matters! Nothing could keep me from you now!"

Smiling, he gently took her lips, then slowly more, until she was like putty in his hands, Lifting her up, he said, "Not here, darling, let us return to the castle; there is much planning to do."

"Planning?" she asked, puzzled.

"Yes, " he replied, a smile about his face, "you are about to become the Lady of these lands. I will not squander an opportunity to shout my love from the rooftops if I can possibly help it."

Grinning, she wrapped her arms about his neck as he flew through the air, back to the safety of the castle walls.

"Oh Sesshoumaru," she sighed, "I'm so happy. Do you think the others are as happy as we are"

He laughed, and held her tighter.

"No one could be as happy as we are."

**oOo**

Kagome ripped open the envelope from the demon messenger, and waved as he rode away.

Inside the crisp white paper, an invitation to a wedding was printed neatly in calligraphy on the stiff stationary, purple in colour.

Inuyasha looked over her shoulder as she came back into the hut. "What is it?" he asked.

"It's an invite, " she said slowly, still reading, "to your brother's wedding."

"Is it? I never thought I'd live to see this day," he mused, leaning his rake against the doorframe.

"How long ago did she go after him? A month? Two?"

"Three and a half," she confirmed, and tacked the paper to their bedroom doorjamb, so they wouldn't forget.

A knock was heard at the door, and Sango appeared there, her gut bulging slightly as she came running in.

"Did you get one?"

"We did. You?"

"Uh huh. You going?"

"Wouldn't miss it." Inuyasha snorted at this, but made no comment.  
"We're going too. I can't wait to see Kitana again, she deserves so much to be happy."

"Don't we all?" Kagome whispered, trailing her fingers through Inuyasha's hair and rubbing her own slightly distended belly, his hand resting atop hers.

Sango smiled. Now that they had something to look forward to, it would be like old times, when all of them were together, but now they had nothing to worry about except the boys drinking too much sake. She giggled; she couldn't wait!

**oOo**

Two months later, everyone was assembled at Kaede's, ready to leave. They would be riding Kirara out there, and Sesshoumaru had graciously sent Ah-Un for Kagome and Inuyasha to ride.

Boarding, Keade waved goodbye as all the young people took off; she yelled for them to come back soon. A few hours after leaving, the group arrived at the castle, decorated for the big day, which was tomorrow. Putting down at the front gate, Inuyasha banged on it for admittance.

A bat demon opened the peephole and said, "Invitations, please."

Kagome and Sango rooted around in their overnight bags, and finally came up with their invites.

Accepting them, the bat allowed them to pass into the castle.

"Welcome to His Lordship's castle. He bids me to tell you to make yourselves at home. Your rooms are on the third floor, in the newest guest wing."

"Thank you," they all bowed, and Miroku whispered to Inuyasha, "This is pretty fancy. I hope you don't do something stupid."

Inuyasha jerked his head away and glared, and Sango smacked Miroku upside the head, saying, "Don't provoke him! He's unstable enough as it is!"

"My apologies, Sango," he rubbed his head ruefully. _She was lucky he loved her so much_…

Kagome leading the way, they easily found their rooms, marked with their names, and put their stuff away. Meeting again out in the hall, which echoed when they spoke, they made their way to where they hoped they'd find someone who could tell them where everything was. Sango began to bounce on the balls of her feet.

"Kagome," she whined, "ask someone where the bathroom is! I'm going to explode!"

Miroku pointed behind him. "We passed one about two seconds ago."

"Thank the Gods!" she yelled, and ran back to find it. Inuyasha laughed.

Shippo said, "Where's Rin? I want to play! You guys are boring."

Kagome smiled at him in sympathy. "Why don't you use your nose to find her?"

He was gone before she could blink, and she sighed. He was getting so much like Inuyasha it was beginning to wear on her nerves. When Sango joined them again, they turned a corner and found a large balcony, overlooking a massive outdoor garden in the Zen style, with streams, sandpits, large stones, and even a waterfall in the middle of what appeared to be a labyrinth of shrubbery.

And there, in the centre, just on this side of the waterfall, stood a man with white hair, stroking the arm of his blue-haired wife-to-be, her back against a tree and no defences raised. He was sucking her face off, and she was letting him!

Inuyasha was the first to react. "Ewwww," he said, gagging.

Kagome clapped her hands together, "Be happy for him, Inuyasha," she warned. "You're happy; he should be too!"

Inuyasha just snorted, but did not disagree.

Sango grabbed Miroku's arm and leaned her head against her shoulder, whispering, "Aren't they a perfect couple?"

"Just like us, nay?" She turned her head to brush his lips. "My thoughts exactly."

Out in the garden, Kitana's right eye strayed toward the estate, and she caught sight of their audience, who were the last of the guests scheduled to arrive. Now they could finally marry each other! An evil idea popped into her head.

"Mmm, Sesshoumaru," she gurgled, exposing her neck for his to explore, "I think I'm going to burst if you don't kiss me some more..."

He rumbled, and, pulling her kimono off her shoulder, licked her from clavicle to earlobe, slowly, before coming to rest before her again and whispering, "You wouldn't want to make a scene in front of them, would you?"

"Maybe," she breathed, fisting both hands in his hair and bringing one leg up to wrap around his waist.

He laughed, but pulled away. "Tomorrow, you will be mine," he promised, taking her hand and leading her back.

"And you will not leave my bed for a week."

She gasped in mock horror. "Why, my Lord," she choked, "I had no idea you were such a horndog!"

He grinned back at her. "Believe it!" She laughed, and he stopped below the balcony to greet their friends.

"Welcome to my castle," Sesshoumaru called, and Kagome shouted back, "Thank you, Sesshoumaru! It's beautiful here!"

He nodded in thanks, and led Kitana inside, where they climbed two flights of stairs before coming to a stop at the very same balcony they'd just walked under.

Kitana, realeasing her love's hand, rushed to Kagome and Sango, hugging both of them and admiring their baby bumps, while Sesshoumaru awkwardly approached his brother and the monk.

He was silent for a moment, and looking at everything but them. Finally, Inuyasha stuck out his hand, and Sesshoumaru accepted it.

"Congratulations, brother," he said, smiling a little. "I can assure you, you won't regret marriage."

"Thanks, Inuyasha. I'm sorry about our past, I…" he didn't know why he'd tormented his brother, but Inuyasha just shrugged.

"Forget it."

Miroku reached out a hand and congratulated Sesshoumaru as well, before all three turned their attention back to the women.

"Sesshoumaru, the girls and I have a surprise show to put on for the guests after the wedding. Do you know where Rin would be? We must speak to her."

"She would be taking her calligraphy lesson with Atsuhara, I believe," he responded, and the women rushed off, to look for the little girl.

"What are they up to now?" he wondered aloud, and Inuyasha looked after them.

"Maybe they're going to dance for us?"

Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and Miroku all looked at each other, and began to laugh. Like that would ever happen! They should be so lucky!

**oOo**

Kitana first led Kagome and Sango to her room to see her wedding kimono, and there was much _oohing_ and _ahhing_ over the short garment. It was white, and trimmed with lace, embroidered on one side with her family crest, the other with Sesshoumaru's. It came down to her mid-thigh when she quickly modelled it for them.

"It's…short," Sango said, but Kagome giggled happily. "I love it! It looks great on you!"

"Thanks," she said, her cheeks flaming. Taking it off, she hung it up and quickly redressed. "Let's get Rin," she said, leading the way. "That poor child hates calligraphy; I say we liberate her from it!"

**oOo**

Rin's forehead hit the table for the third time that morning. Raising it quickly, she heard a scratchy noise by the window and turned to see Shippo trying to get her attention. She smiled at him, but the cracking sound of a long stick of bamboo startled her from him, as it came into harsh contact across her desk.

She jumped, and Atsuhara said, "Pay attention, Rin! Do you want to learn to write or remain an ignorant peasant for the rest of your life?"

She lowered her gaze and said, "I wish to learn, Sensei."

"Then keep writing."

Ignoring Shippo, though it killed her to do so, she continued to plug away with her reed pen and ink, forming the kanji characters over and over again all the way down the scroll.

When the door slid open, she smiled wide. Standing there, were Kitana, Kagome, and Sango!

"Atsuhara, we've come to steal Rin away from you. You may take the rest of the day off."

He bowed and left the room without a word, and Rin jumped up from her mat, spilling her ink and not caring as she ran into the warm arms of three women she counted as her best friends.

"Rin, how have you been?" Kagome asked, as Sango ruffled her hair.

Rin took a deep breath and said, "Can we dance? _Please?_"

All three women laughed, and, taking her hands led her back to the dojo, saying, "Of course. That's why we came to bust you out of class! It's all about dance!"

Shippo frowned at the window, forgotten. He decided to spy on them; what were they up to?

**oOo**

Kitana slid the dojo doors open, revealing a room bigger than the gym in Kagome's school in the modern era. On every wall hung weapons of different shapes and sizes, style, and weight. Sango saw maces, throwing knives, katanas, and sai; Kagome recognised a double-bitted broadaxe on the far wall, next to a roman discus with saw-blade edges, what she would later learn was actually a large ninja throwing star.

Kitana led them to a change room where they removed their clothing and put on something a little more functional; similar to Sango's fighting outfit, but a little looser, and lighter, so they wouldn't get too hot. They were lovely to look at though, and each received a different colour to her own liking.

Sango chose purple, Kagome bright green, Kitana blue, and Rin, orange. A sash came with it to tie it closed at the waist, and an undershirt in white preserved their modesty, as the front of the outfits didn't close over the breasts, but remained open, much like a man's shirt.

"I like these," Sango said, admiring how the silk covered up her bulging belly.

"Me too. It's very comfortable," Kagome added, rooting through her shoulder bag for her CD's.

"What's in the box, Kagome?" Kitana asked, eyeing a big wrapped box with a bow on top. She hadn't been expecting a wedding girft; only the other Lords could afford them, of all the people she and Sesshoumaru had invited, so she was surprised to see Kagome hauling this monster around everywhere.

"I didn't want you to open it till later, but we need it now, so: open your wedding present from all of us!"

Doing as bade, Kitana eagerly ripped off the paper to reveal a box with a big picture of a stereo system on it, and about a ton of batteries to run it.

"Oh, Kagome, thank you! This is even better than the tiger the Eastern Lord gave us!" she hugged the miko with all her might, while Kagome squeeked, "Tiger?!"

"Yeah, it's tried to eat three people already, so Sesshoumaru's got it confined out behind the gardening shed, where no one will be tempted to go near it. Out of sight, out of mind, right?"

"Wow, that's heavy," Kagome said, her hand over her heart. "It can't get loose, right?"

"Nope, it's stuck there. I just hope someone remembers to feed it, 'cuz I ain't going back there!" she laughed, and Sango smiled, but Kagome was still breathing to hard to do any major smilage.

"Come on, you guys!" Rin said, tugging Kitana's bell-shaped sleeve, "Let's put this thing together and dance!"

**oOo**

Two hours and much cursing later, the sound system was finally ready to go. Kagome, popping in a mixed CD and shutting the lid, pressed Play and ran to join the others in line, shaking her arms to loosen up before the song started.

Music blared from the speakers a minute later so loudly that Sesshoumaru looked around behind him in surprise, Miroku and Inuyasha following suit. Shippo came running, saying, "Inuyasha! They opened your present, and now they're moving to the music…what are they doing?"

Inuyasha's ears pricked; he recognised this song!

Turning, he led them to a safe window outside the dojo where Sesshoumaru quietly opened one of the screens to have a peek inside.

The boys watched with jaws hanging open as the four girls moved in unison around the floor, moving so fluidly and without pause, that they looked like angels performing a well-known recital on wings.

Sesshoumaru closed his mouth as Kitana's blue hair flew out behind her, obscuring her face from his view, then dragging on the floor as she bent over backwards in a very provocative move. _Oh yes, he was looking forward to tomorrow, all right!  
_

Inuyasha covered Shippo's eyes as Kagome began to crawl along the floor, her tongue licking the inside of her left arm as she brought her right leg around to shoot up and run her free hand down it, starting at her toes.

Miroku hadn't even realised that it was possible for anyone to perform that kind of complicated dance move as Sango bent over so far backward that with a small push of her feet, she flipped herself over and did a brief handstand before landing like a cat on her feet once more, flinging out an arm to clasp Kitana's hand and spin her away, as she herself turned and executed a dance step much too quick and complicated for his sharp eyes to follow.

Rin kept right up, breathing hard, but making no mistakes as the music changed to a faster beat, and all four girls took a new starting position.

Suddenly Sesshoumaru closed the window, and Inuyasha growled, "Hey! I was enjoying that!" and Miroku nodded his agreement.

"If they catch us we will enjoy nothing. You want to risk it?" he asked, pointing a brow heavenward in question.

Inuyasha reddened and looked away, as did Miroku, and Shippo gasped for breath, Inuyasha finally releasing him now that there was nothing to see.

From inside, they heard Kitana say, "All right, girls, that's good for now. What do you say we head for the hot spring?"

A chorus of positive voices answered her, and, getting up, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, dragging Miroku, took their leave. If they were caught spying…none of them preferred to think about that.

**oOo**

Kitana was exhausted when she reached her room that night. She slid open the door and forgot to close it behind her as she stripped from her clothing. She had not put on her armour in over two months; she didn't need to anymore.

Sesshoumaru peeked around the door as she flopped onto her futon, snoring. He smiled as a wicked image entered his mind, but he walked away, saving his fantasy for tomorrow night, when she would finally be his, in every sense of the word.

Inuyasha and Kagome were doing something he was sure was obscene, judging from the noises coming from their room, and Miroku was getting his customary slap from Sango, which resounded throughout the castle. He felt his own cheek throb in sympathy for that one.

Rin was sound asleep, Shippo curled up on the pillow she had abandoned in favour of the mattress. _Children were so cute from a reasonable distance_… he sighed.

One day he and Kitana would have children of their own. He hoped they had her eyes. Suddenly, for some reason, he thought of Ai.

Her husband, Lord Shiro, had sent them the tiger behind the shed as a wedding gift, but he'd heard nothing from her. Had he even brought her with him? The other Lords had brought their families, he assumed Shiro would too, but he didn't really know. Part of him hoped not, for when confronted with Kagura, he'd brushed Kitana aside once; could he trust himself not to do it again if he saw Ai?

He went to bed that night with his mind abuzz with doubt, and fear. What would he do if his worst case scenario came to fruition? He loved Kitana, he knew that, but Ai had been a major part of his past, had in fact taught him everything he knew about love, and how to make it. Would she ruin his plans, or would he himself be responsible for his own downfall?

**oOo**

Sesshoumaru blinked. Sunlight crept across the room, inching from the vaulted ceiling to the floor, only to spill over his bed a minute later. When it began to blind him he got up, and walked to the bath.

He didn't think he'd slept at all last night. Throwing his robe over a towel bar, he slowly climbed into the hot water, a servant laying a fresh towel on the bench next to the spring before leaving him alone.

When he looked up after dunking his hair, he was surprised to see Kitana standing over him, only a robe of black silk preserving her modesty.

He smiled.

"Good morning," she said, untying the sash. He swallowed.

"A _very_ good morning, it would seem," he rumbled, and she grinned.

"Mind if I join you?"

"I wouldn't dream of stopping you."

Sliding the robe off, he saw all of her, not for the first time, but it still felt like the first time. Every experience with her was different; he never knew what she would do, how she would react, or where she would begin.

Moving to sit behind him, she took some shampoo from the side of the spring and lathered his hair, massaging his scalp with her clawed fingers, working the blood to the surface, while he purred his pleasure to her.

Reaching up behind him, he began to rub the inside of her thigh, slowly, until he felt gooseflesh arise, before switching to use his claws, and dragging them slowly were his fingertips had been, and chuckled in satisfaction when he felt her shudder.

"Are you excited?" she asked, her mind far away, thinking of what the day would bring. She would commit herself to him today, and they would officially mate for the first time.

"In more ways than one," he breathed, dunking, then pulling her beneath the surface with him.  
Bringing her up again for air, he kissed her wet lips and licked her moist lashes, tasting her, and memorizing her, to sate him until tonight.

She could feel him throbbing, and decided to downplay their fun a bit, before his demon came out and there would be no controlling him. Kagome had told her of his loss of control a while back, when not only Sesshoumaru, but Kouga, too, had gone nuts because she'd apparently been in heat.

She sympathised with him; right about now she felt her own self-control trying to slip away.

Standing, she rose from the bath and walked away, picking up her robe as she did so.

Sesshoumaru said nothing, but his disappointment was as plain as the pout on his face.

**oOo**

Kagome slapped Inuyasha's hand away as he pulled at his haori for the tenth time in twenty minutes. They sat in the front row of the audience, and Sesshoumaru looked more stoic than ever as he awaited Kitana's arrival through the screen shoji at the entrance to the room. Everyone was here, and he scanned the crowd idly as he waited. The three Lords sat up front, across the isle from his brother and his friends; Inuyasha snarled at the new clothing as if they were some enemy to be defeated. Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes mentally. Trust his brother to fight with something as mundane as new clothes.

Lord Shiro sat alone with a young woman, not Ai, he noted, not sure what to feel, but eventually relief won out.

Rin emerged, carrying a basketful of white petals and wearing a white kimono, tied closed with a little white obi. He smiled. She would make some lucky man a beautiful wife someday.

After Rin had taken her place next to Kagome, everyone stood and turned to watch the bride walk down the aisle.

A pause followed as a shamisen player began to pluck the strings of the instrument to a traditional wedding march, and Kitana emerged, dressed as simply as Rin in her white kimono, but her obi was red, and tied high in the back, signifying the new beginning she was about to commit to. She matched Sesshoumaru, who wore his haori with the red hexagons, minus his armour and swords.

Standing next to him, she made her vows before their family and friends, and he made his to her.

Right when they were about to kiss, a voice called out, "Wait."

Sesshoumaru growled. _Who dared interrupt his wedding?  
_

Kitana turned to the doorway, and gasped; there stood an apparition she thought to have been long dead, but no one other than her long lost brother Koji stood smiling back at her.

"Kitty? What are you doing getting married and not inviting me?" he laughed as he ran up the aisle to hug her tightly. Sesshoumaru grew silent. This must be her brother…_or at least, he'd better be_.

"Koji!" she cried, hugging him tight. Everyone in the audience smiled at the reunited siblings.

Letting her go, he turned her back to Sesshoumaru and gave her a little push, saying, "Forgive me for interrupting, Lord Sesshoumaru. Please, do continue!"

Kitana smiled at him, then at Sesshoumaru, and gave him the longest kiss they'd ever publicly shared, before turning to present themselves to a clapping crowd. Kitana couldn't have been happier.

**oOo**

Afterward, everyone moved to the great hall for dinner and dancing. The meal was set on a long table, with a roasted pig on a platter in the centre. Every kind of food imaginable was laid out, and a dessert table was heaped with delectable sweets nearby. A tall white cake had its own stand, and Kagome took a picture with her digital camera of Sesshoumaru and Kitana cutting the cake.

When everyone had had their fill, and were leaning back in their chairs, Sesshoumaru seemed to remember something and clicked his chopstick against his glass for attention.

"Kitana, darling," he said, turning to face his new wife, "I believe you had something you wanted to perform for our guests?"

Kitana brightened. "Yes, I do. Kagome, Sango, Rin? Are you coming? We'll be right back," she assured the guests, and they nodded indulgently, digesting the meal. While the girls were gone, servants began moving something with large black boxes into a corner of the room, and setting up a stage next to it. Everyone watched the goings-on unobtrusively while they chatted; who was seeing whom, whose daughters were ready for marriage, whose sons were of the highest skill level in their studies, and it went on from there. Sesshoumaru found himself getting bored; he wanted the party to start.

Finally, Jaken got up on the stage and said in his annoying, toady voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Lady Kitana, Lady Kagome, Lady Sango, and Lady Rin!"

Loud music began to blare from the speakers of the sound system and nearly everyone jumped; the only exceptions were Shippo, Miroku and Inuyasha, for they'd seen the player before Kagome had wrapped it, and she'd showed them how it worked.

The lights were put out around the room, only a few remaining aflame, to create a darker, more sensual effect.

Four girls appeared on stage, and as the music began to speed up, they began to dance.

When the first song ended, the crowd went wild, begging for more. The girls, flushed and sweaty, but happy, agreed to dance to another song.

They danced to five more songs before they ran out of moves, and the dinner tables were cleared away to make room for the guests to dance as the show was taking place, and before long a slow song came on, and couples began to trickle out onto the vacant floor. When the girls came off stage, their men were waiting for them.

"Sango, I think I'm in love," Miroku crowed as he wrapped an arm around her expanding waist, and Sango grinned, taking his cup and tasting the contents: sake. She gave it back to him, a pointed look on her face. It took him a moment, but he asked, "Would you like some water?"

"Why thank you, Miroku," she grinned, "I thought you'd never ask!"

Inuyasha had the foresight to drain his own cup of sake and fill it with water before the dancing was over. He handed it to Kagome, who downed it, then kissed him as if she'd never see him again. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy her enthusiasm.

Sesshoumaru took Kitana's hand and helped her down offstage, saying, "You were great up there. I didn't know you could dance like that."

"There's a lot you don't know about me, "she whispered, leaning close to kiss him, but they were interrupted by Rin, who pried her way between them to say, "Did you like it, my Lord? Did you? Was I good?"

Sesshoumaru smiled down at her. "You took my breath away," he assured her, and she smiled, hugging his leg. She felt like a million bucks.

Kitana smiled down at her, too. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look into the face of her brother, his red hair scarlet in the semi-darkness.

"My little sister's finally grown up," he said wistfully, and she hugged him again, tears coming to her eyes. "I thought I'd lost you forever," she breathed, and held her breath, to stave off the tears she felt burning behind her eyelids.

"Nope. Can't get rid of me that easily. I searched for you for months," he said, stroking her back. "Yet all it took was a rumour to lead me here. I guess I was just a few weeks too far behind you and Storm. Where is that old dragon, anyway?"

"Outside, looking after the tiger," she giggled.

"Really? Well, I guess he's got his work cut out for him then."

Kitana rubbed her brother's arm absently, and chewed her bottom lip. "Koji, where will you go now?"

"Home, I guess. Why?"

"There's nothing at home to go back to. We're not welcome there, our lands were annexed and are no longer ours. Why don't you talk to Sesshoumaru? From what I understand, the Western Lands are quite extensive. I'm sure there's a patch somewhere that's unoccupied; maybe he'll arrange for a trade?"

He smiled gently at her. "Trying to keep me close, Kitty?"

"Of course! How many brothers do you think I have?" she began to cry, and though she'd fought hard to keep everything in this long, the dam burst. He shushed her, and led her out to the dance floor, where they could speak privately.

"I have to go back, Kitty, you know that. If I don't get our lands back, who will? I will not stand idly by while our lands turn to ruin because we aren't there to look after them. We had an empire once; I intend to restore it to it's former glory, no matter what it takes. Besides, I refuse to be a burden to you and Sesshoumaru. It wouldn't be fitting for the Lady of the Lands to allow her brother to sponge off her new family, now, would it?"

Kitana didn't respond; she was too busy trying to regain her composure.

"If that is what you want," she finally choked, "then I wish you the best of luck in your endeavours. Just don't forget to come and see me once in a while, alright?"

He laughed. "Shouldn't I be saying that to you? Before I know it, I'll have more strapping young nephews than I can count, and maybe some beautiful nieces, too. Don't you think they'd benefit from a trip to visit their uncle on the continent? After I retain our lands again, of course," he said, the very image of confidence. She laughed.

"Deal."

He hugged her. She knew he had to go, but she hated to see him leave, just when she'd finally found him after so long a time apart.

Sesshoumaru turned his eyes from Rin, who'd dragged him out on the dance floor, to Kitana. She hugged her brother tightly; _was something wrong?_ He didn't want to interrupt them. Finally, Koji released her, and, kissing her cheek, left the room, Kitana's hand raised in farewell to her beloved brother.

The song ended, and Sesshoumaru passed Rin off on Shippo; the fox-child's cheeks flamed as Rin happily traded partners. Striding to his wife's side, he took her in his arms, expecting a sad face, but was greeted instead with a broad smile.

"Are you alright, darling?" he asked, feeling like an idiot for asking such an obvious question.

"Couldn't be better," she said, laying her head against his heart. "I found my brother and married the man of my dreams all in the same day. How can I not be joyful?"

He smiled. From across the room, Lord Shiro danced by with his daughter, Princess Shita. Ai was nowhere to be seen, and when Lord Shiro caught Sesshoumaru's eye, they exchanged a look - plainly, Lord Shiro knew of Sesshoumaru's affair with his wife, and out of respect, had opted to bring his daughter instead of his wife. Sesshoumaru nodded, in gratitude. He made a mental note to thank Shiro later.

Kagome and Inuyasha danced by, Kagome laughing as Inuyasha spun her around, and Miroku tried to pick up Sango, but she slapped him and he desisted. Sesshoumaru shook his head; that monk just couldn't hold his liquor…or his hands.

Kitana, too, was watching their friends enjoying themselves, and suddenly, she began to feel a lot better. Koji was leaving her, but she, herself, was leaving him, too; to begin a new life, a secure life, where she loved her husband, and he loved her. A life where her smallest demands were met, and she would be pampered like the Lady she'd become. She couldn't have been more content.

The only thing missing were her parents, but she decided to just count her blessings and be thankful for everyone who was there to share her special day with she and Sesshoumaru.

After all, who could ask for more?

**oOo**

Well, there you have it. What did you think? Was this a shitty ending? I really tried hard, people, but if you don't like it, I'll understand...it was just so difficult, I had no ideas...it was exhausting, but there it is. Lemme know what you think, I'm dying to know! I love you guys, and now, off to write a new (hopefuly better, and shorter!) story. Yay!


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